FL#4 - "Baleares" (Spain)

"Baleares" (Spain)

The follower site, the Menorca Island, which is part of the Balearic Islands, is connected to demonstration site 4 (Canary Islands). Menorca is located in the Mediterranean Sea. The follower site is an urban and/or rural area (the exact location of the infiltration pond is not yet decided but will probably be located near the waste-water treatment plant of Addaia, located in a rural area near the coastal urbanisations area). The area is classified as biogeographical type: Mediterranean.

The water resources in the island of Menorca come from groundwater. The island has six groundwater bodies with the most important being located in the south. These calcareous aquifers have overexploitation problems. Decade long groundwater pumping for supply, an increasing population (tourism) and agriculture has caused a water-level drawdown, water pollution (nitrates) and saline intrusion. The results are three groundwater bodies classified in bad ecological status. In one of these groundwater bodies (Maó, located on the south-east of the island) a pilot study was carried out with the injection of treated wastewater. The results were positive decreasing conductivity and nitrate content in the aquifer. 

The islands have important carbonate-rocks aquifers. The human pressure caused by tourism on water demand opened the islands to seawater desalination, although groundwater still is the main water source in Mallorca and Minorca.  Domestic water consumption, including tourism, was 102.4 hm3 .

The studied island, Minorca, has a population of 94,467 and a water consumption of 9,52 hm3.  

Situation : 

• The two main groundwater bodies in bad ecological status
• Overexploitation and saline intrusion (plus nitrates)
• Wastewater effluents to non-perennial streams

The project will also study the impacts of droughts on streams and aquifers and the management of groundwater bodies under future climate change scenarios.

The challenge is to find a different method for recharging this aquifer using treated water from wastewater treatment plants from ponds (spreading grounds) or from wastewater effluents to streams (infiltration). The interest is in applying new methods and possible nature-based solutions to manage aquifer recharge (MAR). The project will propose the most suitable site/s for recharging the aquifer in collaboration with the regional and local authorities and stakeholders. 

Specific follower actions to be implemented:

Capacity building:

• Implementation of Managed Aquifer Recharge (MAR).

Ambition during the project 

To be the first aquifer recharge experience using a nature-based solution in the Balearic Islands.  

Ambition after the project 

Elaboration and dissemination of best practice guidelines to allow the applicability in another islands, like Mallorca and Ibiza.