No Water Restrictions For Hard-Hit SE Spain, Despite Record Drought

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Spain's environment minister Cristina Narbona accused local politicians of being more concerned with building villas, hotels and golf courses for tourists than managing the water supply. Hoteliers say they have not been told to rein in water use. "We haven't had any restrictions," said Manuel Sanchez of the luxury Hyatt Regency La Manga Hotel in Murcia, whose golf courses have hosted five Spanish Opens.

The resort has taken conservation into its own hands. It operates a recycling plant and plans a desalination plant. Taps often run dry in rural Murcia, said Adele Lansdale, who runs holiday apartments with swimming pools in the area. "We are resigned to the water being cut off during the day, between 10 and 4, but then it's usually back on for the milking and feeding the animals," she said.

"It's been a very dry year, but they haven't said we're using more water than we should," she added.

Spain's flourishing market garden sector, growing fruit and vegetables in plastic tunnels, is another drain on supplies. Irrigation water in Murcia has been rationed. An area the size of Manhattan is turned into farmland each year in the surrounding Segura river basin, according to a recent government report.

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http://www.planetark.org/dailynewsstory.cfm/newsid/38029/story.htm

[phantom power]

1. And the leaders talked, and talked, and talked...