A town in is considering banning any new swimming pools, hot tubs or fountains being built in the wake of a devastating drought. Under the ban, no new decorative or recreational structures that use water would be permitted for at least a year in Arta. This move is in response to the "urgent" need to address drinking water shortages in the municipality.
Councillors are hoping this would address the dramatic increase in the number of pools that have been built over the last few years. According to the , Arta has seen the construction of at least 279 personal swimming pools. Mallorca has been on pre-drought alert for months now following a relatively dry winter and last year's heatwaves and record high temperatures.
On June 5, the council issued a decree which included several measures to address the drought sweeping across Colònia de Sant Pere and the developments of Montferrutx and s’Estanyol. Watering gardens, filling swimming pools or cleaning terraces are all forbidden under the new decree and people are only permitted 117 litres of water per person, per day. It’s a similar story in Valldemossa where a dry winter and little rain, along with record temperatures last summer has led to drought conditions.
This area is under the same restrictions, and actor Michael Douglas has been swept up into the ban. The legendary American actor has had an estate in Vallerosa for 30 years and is a frequent visitor along with his wife Catherine Zeta Jones. Michael Douglas purchased the.
