Decorative fountains return
Some of the city’s most iconic fountains are back on now that the drought alert has been lifted. The first fountain to start operating again was the cascade in the Parc de la Ciutadella. Elsewhere, fountains already back in action include those around Plaça Catalunya, the Fonts Bessones, the fountain in Plaça Francesc Macià, in Passeig de Gràca with Gran Via and the Font d’Aurora, in the Jardins Salvador Espriu (Jardinets de Gràcia).
Fountain in Parc de l'Espanya Industrial
Technical teams are gradually checking and cleaning the city’s fountains, with over 200 to be restarted having been out of action since November 2022. Fountains will operate from 12 noon to 2 pm and from 5 pm to 9 pm, except for those in the city centre and some iconic gardens, which will follow summer operating times, from 12 noon to 10 pm.
During the drought, the City Council introduced a series of improvements at decorative fountains as part of the Pla Endreça. One of the most notable steps was the renovation of the Magic Fountain in Montjuïc, which will get a new control system, sound and LED lighting to make it more sustainable and enhance the experience of shows.
The lifting of the alert stage also means that normal watering can resume in parks and gardens. This activity will continue to use groundwater as much as possible as a way for saving safe water. Work is also being carried out to recover trees and vegetation, a process that will conclude in the spring of 2026 with up to 9,000 trees and 8.2 hectares of bushes and other vegetation planted. This process forms part of the Pla Clima, the roadmap for Barcelona to adapt to the challenges of climate change.
The lifting of the alert stage and the return to the pre-alert stage for drought means an end to limits for individuals and municipal services, although people are advised to use water responsibly.
