Drought-hit Barcelona to import water by boat from France

Boats will from next month bring fresh water from other parts of Spain and neighbouring France to Barcelona to help the city deal with the region’s worst drought in decades, local government officials said Friday.

The boats will supply Spain’s second-largest city with enough water to meet Barcelona’s consumption needs for five days — at a cost of 22 million euros (34.4 million dollars).

The first ship will depart from the Spanish Mediterranean city of Tarragona for Barcelona during the first two weeks of May, said a spokesman for the environment ministry of the regional government of Catalonia.

Two more ships loaded with water will leave the French port city of Marseille for the Catalan capital during the second half of the month, the spokesman added.

Terra Daily