UK holidaymakers in Spain claim they are battling "third world" conditions after a popular tourist resort, favoured by the wealthy, had its water supply cut off. With a sprawling area of palatial homes and five golf courses, Sotogrande on the sun-drenched Costa del Sol is claimed to have turned into a living nightmare for tourists and expats alike as it has abruptly severed water supply overnight, affecting daily routines, including bathing, cooking, cleaning and more.
The local authorities announced the decision to enforce a night-time water ban - effective from 9pm till 7am - which started on Wednesday. The move, they explained, was necessitated by a "prolonged drought with a severe shortage of water resources".
Rob Brummer, 66, spoke to the Mail, expressing his shock and disapproval: "It came as a huge shock when we were only told of this the day before. The whole communication around this has failed completely. Sotogrande is all big villas and with five golf courses it uses a lot of water but I lived in the Middle East for eight years and we never had any problem with water supply. There is a big school here with thousands of kids who will need to wash and brush their teeth every morning. How can they do that?" For the latest Welsh news delivered to your inbox sign up to our newsletter
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He added: "Since 2013 there has been a drought in Spain but neither the national nor regional nor local councils have taken any appropriate action. The government for the area don't care. They are far away and all we can do is complain and hope they listen."
Arturo Berna, a spokesperson for Spanish Tourism, expressed concern over the region's water crisis, reports Birmingham Live, saying: "'We are sensitive to the drought situation that Andalusia is experiencing and we are analysing the implementation of some measure that affect the rations and efficient use of water. Any operation will necessarily have the consensus of the sector." Try WalesOnline Premium for FREE by clicking here for no ads, fun puzzles and brilliant new features
Meanwhile, tourists are taking to social media to share their experiences, with one holidaymaker posting on The Facebook Group International People in Malaga: "My Airbnb host just sent a message that due to the lack of rainfall, our condo booked for July will not have water from 11 PM to 7 AM. Does that sound normal?"
In light of the situation, Spain's Minister of Tourism has issued a stark warning, highlighting that tourists typically consume almost twice as much water as local residents.
