What are the current water restrictions on the Costa del Sol?

What are the current water restrictions on the Costa del Sol?

Updated  25-03-2025

Inspite of the prolonged and heavy rainfall in February and March 2025 the water resrictions remain in place.

19 March 2025 - The delegate of the regional government of Malaga province, Patricia Navarro, said. "In the coming weeks, the Committee of Experts is expected to publish the official figures in the assessment of the drought situation, before any decisions are made on how the new resources [fuller reservior reserves] will be used".

Water restrictions have been in place on the western Costa del Sol since October 2023 and on the eastern Costa del Sol and La Axarquia since 2022.

The restrictions, which affect residents and tourists, are set by the Town Hall, which in turn is directed by the Regional Government and their Drought Management Commission of the Andalucian Mediterranean Water Basin.

The use of drinking water is generally FORBIDDEN in the following cases:

• Filling or topping up private and community Swimming Pools with drinking water.
• Washing cars [except in an approved car wash - non approved ones are closed].
• Ornamental fountains that do not have a closed water circuit.
• Use of public showers [e.g. on beaches].
• Any other non-essential use of water.

Watering of gardens, parks or green areas, both public and private, is prohibited or reduced to a maximum of 1 days per week depending on the municipal district.

Refilling Swimming Pools on Costa del Sol

The filling (or topping up) of swimming pools with fresh water WAS permitted as an exception to the general restrictions for the summer season from 1st June to 30th September 2024. This exception was quietly extended on 10th October 2024 (by the Drought Management Commission) but remains dependent on each local authority permitting it and being assured that they can main their overall water consumption limits set at 200-235 litres per person per day.

The Drought Management Commission increased the water consumption limits at their meeting on 5th December 2024 (Water shortage news). We are not aware of any town halls removing their restrictions.

Swimming pools at hotels, campsites, sports clubs, health centres and public municipal pools are exempt and open.

Some community manager have taken the view that a pool can be open, but cannot be topped up with drinking water. Note that filling a swimming pool with non-drinking water is complicated from a health legislation point of view.

What are the current water restrictions on the Campo de Gibraltar?

Campo de Gibraltar which is the area to the west of Costa de Sol including Sotogrande, Guadiaro, San Roque, La Linea, Los Barios, Algeciras, Jimaea de la Frontera, Castella de la Frontera and San Martin de Tesrillo has similar restrictions to the western Costa del Sol.

ARCGISA, the public water company in Campo de Gibraltar, announced on 18 March that it would stop reducing water pressure at night. This was a water saving measure that was effective in reducing leakage from the supply pipes, while having a marginal effect on most consumers.

The use of drinking water is currently FORBIDDEN in the following cases:

• Filling or topping up private and community Swimming Pools with dringing water.
• Washing cars [except in an approved car wash - non approved ones are closed].
• Ornamental fountains that do not have a closed water circuit.
• Use of public showers [e.g. on beaches].
• Any other non-essential use of water.

There are water presure reductions from 06.00 to 23.00 hrs and water cuts in many areas from 23.00 to 06.00 hrs.

Refilling Swimming Pools in Campo de Gibraltar

As Costa del Sol above

160, 180, 200 or 225 litres per day per inhabitant?

Total drinking water consumption is limited to an average of 180 to 235 litres per day per inhabitant depending on area. This is not a limit on the water metered by each household or business. It is a limit on the total amount of drinking water that fills the town's large storage tanks, divided by the registered population. As a reference, the average person in Andalucia uses 129 litres of domestic drinking water per day. The higher consumption limits of 180 or 200 litres per inhabitant per day are set because this measurement has to include all the drinking water consumed by business, commerce, hotels, shops, offices and non-resident holiday homes. The regional government monitors this usage however statistics for each municiapl district have never been published.

As a result of these restrictions, municipal water companies are reducing the water pressure and turning off water in many areas between midnight and 06.00 hrs. Hotels and apartment blocks are generally unaffected as they have their own storage tanks which are replenished during the day. Individual houses without tanks and especially those on higher ground experience cuts and/or low pressure.

Read our detailed and updated water shortage news chronology.

For more information and the background principles of water supply and demand on the Costa del Sol and Andalucia, see our Water Supply in Andalucia page.