Sant Julià de Lòria Plans New Llumeneres River Water Intake to Combat Droughts
Andorra's Sant Julià de Lòria council is advancing feasibility for a new river intake and infrastructure upgrades to enhance water supply security against climate-driven droughts. Environmental safeguards are prioritized in the strategy.
Key Points
- Council approves credit for feasibility studies on Llumeneres intake and upgrades to Auvinyà, Peguera, Fontaneda, Dimonis.
- Project expands reservoir capacity to support supplies during dry spells.
- Environmental assessments to protect river flows and ecosystems amid climate emergency.
- Water network sufficient now, but growth in Canòlich, Bixessarri, Fontaneda could strain it.
Sant Julià de Lòria parish council is examining a new water intake on the Llumeneres river to bolster supply capacity ahead of potential droughts.
Cònsol Major Cerni Cairat outlined the initiative in comments to the Andorran News Agency. It falls under an extraordinary credit approved by the council in early June, which will fund feasibility studies for the Llumeneres project alongside technical reviews and upgrades for existing intakes at Torrent d’Auvinyà, Peguera river, Fontaneda, and Dimonis.
The work aims to expand communal reservoir capacity, offering support for current sources during extended dry spells. Cairat stressed the importance of adapting to a “climate emergency,” with environmental impact assessments planned to protect minimum river flows and safeguard fluvial ecosystems.
The council intends to gradually apply insights from parish-wide studies on maximum carrying capacity, including a strategy for potable water availability. Cairat emphasized that the water network is “perfectly dimensioned” for the current population, with no immediate supply pressures.
He pointed to Canòlich, Bixessarri, and the Fontaneda quarter as areas with tighter margins if they experience significant growth. No projects are currently advancing that might strain water resources there, and communal urban planning rules require new developments to secure essential services such as drinking water. Building permits remain suspended, he added, urging residents to stay calm.
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