<p>Catalonia's regional government declared a drought emergency for Barcelona and its surrounding area due to three years of minimal rainfall, triggering tighter water restrictions. </p> <p>Pere Aragones, head of the regional government, announced the emergency after reservoirs in the Mediterranean region dropped below 16 percent capacity, prompting water-saving measures affecting approximately six million people.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>Aragones stated that Catalonia is experiencing its most severe drought in a century, leading to the reduction of daily water usage allowed for residential and municipal purposes from 210 to 200 litres per person.</p> <p>If the situation worsens, this could further decrease to 180 and then 160 litres. The restrictions, effective from Friday, include banning the filling of private swimming pools and washing cars unless with recycled water. Additionally, public gardens can only be irrigated with groundwater.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>The emergency declaration also seeks to reduce water for crop irrigation by 80 percent and for industry by 25 percent, while addressing the impact of heatwaves and climate change, which have intensified the drought and elevated temperatures to nearly 30 degrees Celsius in January. </p> <p>Experts attribute these extreme weather patterns to human-driven climate change.</p> <p>Channels News</p>