THE WEATHER
Edition 351
D
DROUGHT EFFECTS BITE
omestic water rationing has moved a step closer as La Confederación Hidrográfica del Segura (CHS) has ordered municipalities with over 20 thousand residents to activate their emergency drought plans. The CHS wants water consumption slashed by 15 percent, as low rainfall levels continue in the Vega Baja and Murcia regions. That could mean domestic supply cuts in the second phase of the plan if the measures fail to cut water usage by the necessary amount, with the CHS only guaranteeing an uninterrupted service to urban areas through to next month. National law obliges local authorities to have an emergency plan ready in the case of drought, which in
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www.thecourier.es Thursday 7th December 2017
terms of the Vega Baja region means councils like Almoradi, Crevillente, Orihuela, Pilar de la Horadada, and Torrevieja. Seventeen councils in the Murcia region are also obliged to produce their plans, including San Javier and San Pedro del Pinatar. The authorities must declare what water rationing measures they would implement, with the CHS arranging a series of meetings with them to look at their proposals. Measures will vary from area to area, but will almost certainly include cutting down on the watering of green areas and sports fields; car-cleaning with hoses; filling up swimming pools; and road cleaning with water. The CHS says that if the necessary savings are not
See page 2 for the week’s forecast
2 Bedroom 1 Bath Terraced Townhouse in Torrevieja TY ER OP THE R P F O EEK W
made, then restrictions on domestic supplies will be considered in a second phase of the plan to reach the 15 percent reduction target, either through water pressure reductions or occasional cuts to local homes and businesses. Orihuela council has already announced that two night-time road cleansing trucks, one of which is based on the Orihuela
Costa, will not be used. 28 thousand litres of water are used by the authority for street-cleaning every day. The agricultural sector has been the worst hit during the dry weather, and a number of vegetable growing companies have already moved from the Murcia and Vega Baja areas to better irrigated areas further north at Muxtamel and Sant Joan d'Alacant.
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home robbery gang that had no hesitation in using extreme violence has been arrested by the Guardia Civil. The men stole from properties in Rojales and Formentera, and in one case, broke the knee of a Quesada home owner. The three Spaniards (aged 25-34) were detained at their homes in Benijófar and Formentera, where officers found weapons including a taser, and an indoor marijuana plantation (pictured), which had drugs worth 15 thousand euros on the open market. In mid-September, the
trio entered a Quesada property which they ransacked after handcuffing the two residents, and breaking the knee of one of them. Authorities said the gang had no qualms at all in robbing homes whilst their residents were inside. After the Quesada incident, the Guardia Civil launched a joint operation with the local police in Almoradi and Guardamar, and uncovered two other similar cases in the Rojales and Formentera areas. The three men have been charged with the crimes of robbery with violence and intimidation; causing injury;
the illegal possession of weapons; as well as committing a crime against public health, by having a marijuana farm. Two of the men have
been denied bail after a court appearance, whilst the third has to report on a regular basis to the authorities and has had his passport taken away,
See Page 13