Spain urged to combat extreme weather « Euro Weekly News

Spain’s leaky legacy: Mammoth bill looms to plug water woes. Spain told to invest €85 billion to combat extreme weather.

As the world marks World Water Day this Saturday, March 22, Spain’s leading infrastructure association has issued a sobering warning: the country needs to cough up a whopping €85 billion over the next decade to fix its ageing, leaky, and overwhelmed water systems.

That’s the verdict from Seopan, the association representing construction and infrastructure concession companies. Seopan says the investment is vital to bring Spain’s water network up to scratch – and protect it from the rising threat of ‘extreme weather fuelled by climate change.’

Rain pain in Spain: ‘Climate crisis’ makes a splash

Spain is Europe’s fourth most-affected country when it comes to financial losses caused by extreme weather in Spain, according to Eurostat. In 2020 alone, these weather-related disasters cost €27.13 per person – a figure that’s only expected to rise.

Last October’s DANA – a violent weather system that brought torrential rains and floods – hammered the Mediterranean basins and served as a stark reminder of what’s to come. Scientists say these events are no longer rare freaks of nature, but the new normal. The Mediterranean region, in particular, is on the front lines of the weather crisis.

To address the damage and reduce future risks, Seopan argues that a special €5 billion investment programme is urgently needed in the Mediterranean basins alone.

Water works: where the billions would go

Of the total €85 billion needed, around €41 billion is already in the planning pipeline. This includes:

€11 billion for wastewater treatment and sanitation
€8.7 billion for water supply and irrigation systems
€4.9 billion for river restoration and management
€4.8 billion for agricultural irrigation plans

But here’s the catch – the country still needs to find an extra €44.5 billion to fully modernise the system.

That includes:

€15.6 billion to separate outdated combined sewer systems.
€15 billion to upgrade treatment plants to meet stricter EU environmental rules.
€10.8 billion to replace deteriorating urban water supply networks.

In short, Spain’s infrastructure needs a complete plumbing overhaul, but where will all this money come from?

A crisis decades in the making

So, how did it come to this? Part of the answer lies in the 2008 financial crash, which led to a deep cut in public investment. From 2007 to 2010, Spain was spending an average of €3 billion a year on hydraulic infrastructure. After the crisis hit, that figure was slashed to just €1.3 billion a year between 2011 and 2022.

Environmental spending hasn’t kept pace either. Between 2013 and 2021, Spain invested just €28 per resident per year in environmental protection – far below the EU average of €47, according to Eurostat.

Bottom line: Fixing the flow before it floods

Whether it’s droughts in summer or downpours in autumn, Spain’s water system is under increasing pressure – and creaking at the seams. With climate change accelerating and EU regulations tightening, the time to act is now.

Seopan’s message is crystal clear: either Spain makes the investment now – or it pays an even higher price later.

Stay safe, stay dry, and stay tuned to the Euro Weekly for more environmental news.

Get more European news in English.