Spain's Tajo‑Segura water transfer prompts demand for new exploitation rules

The Central Syndicate of Irrigators (SCRATS) says it is unaware of any draft legislation for new exploitation rules of the Tajo‑Segura transfer, arguing that existing regulations are sufficient and that a new CEDEX report is unnecessary. SCRATS president Lucas Jiménez warned the union will monitor any moves that could further harm the river and noted that the recent authorization of a 120‑hectometre‑cubic transfer should be routed through the Congress, as demanded by the PP.

The Association of Riverside Municipalities of Entrepeñas and Buendía urged the government to "accelerate" the pending new rules after an automatic transfer of 120 hm³ scheduled for June–July. The group highlighted discrepancies between the water volume recorded by the Segura River basin authority (277 hm³) and the CEDEX report (130 hm³), calling for transparent data. It warned that the summer could be critical for the basin and emphasized that the current system operates under outdated regulations, risking over‑extraction.

Both bodies called for swift legislative and technical action to align the transfer system with updated legal and environmental standards.