Mallorca is using more water at a time when it has less of it. According to the latest sustainability report from the Mallorca Observatory, water consumption rose by 5.5% in 2024, even as the island’s reserves dropped below half capacity during the summer months.
The report, presented by the Mallorca Preservation Foundation, warns that the island’s water resources are coming under growing pressure from drought, rising temperatures and an expanding population. More than 45% of groundwater bodies are now in poor condition, affected by overuse and saltwater intrusion, problems made worse by continued low rainfall.
Aquifers still provide the bulk of the island’s supply, accounting for 65% of water consumption, while desalination plants contribute just 16%. During the summer of 2024, overall reserves dropped below 50%, a worrying level given that almost half of Mallorca’s aquifers are already classed as being in a critical state.
The study links rising demand to population pressure, with an average of more than 1.19 million people on the island each day in 2024, rising to almost 1.45 million in August. It also points to the warming of the Balearic Sea, which is heating up around 20% faster than the global average and has warmed by 1.6°C since 1982.
Alongside these concerns, the report notes some progress, including a 44% increase in renewable energy production and continued growth in organic farming, which now covers more than 40,000 hectares of land.
