Andorra Minister Completes Draft Water Law for Climate Era

Guillem Casal, Andorra's Minister of Environment, Agriculture and Livestock, has completed a draft water law tailored to 21st-century needs, including climate change and international norms, updating rules that date back to the 1980s.

Casal's department made this a top priority from the start of their term, tackling what he called a "very heavy" and outdated pre-constitutional law. The team integrated elements from the European Water Framework Directive and held discussions with about 150 stakeholders, such as parish councils, parliamentary groups, farmers, ranchers, associations, FEDA, Andorra Research and Innovation, Capesa, Caldea, ski resorts, and others.

"We have the text closed on our side, and now we must present the final version to the remaining actors," Casal said. He believes the government can wrap it up before the current legislative term ends, delivering Andorra's first executive-backed water law adapted to modern standards.

The draft covers water use broadly, not just household consumption, and anticipates global challenges. It includes plans for drought scenarios—setting usage priorities without overly tight restrictions in normal times—while establishing a dedicated authority for water resources, classifying water as public domain property, applying the "polluter pays" principle, and securing supply for all users.

Casal highlighted the technical challenges of adapting European rules to Andorra, where water originating in the country flows to neighbours rather than a local sea. He linked the draft to circular economy laws, which set a 150 litres per person per day domestic consumption limit based on equivalent population—a threshold Andorra has remained under for years.

Even if parliamentary schedules push approval to 2026 or beyond, Casal described it as a practical, Andorra-specific document ready for implementation. "It's a tangible, drafted text that could be approved and applied," he said, underscoring the urgent need for modernisation to ensure future water security.