Es Mercadal officials request review of water extraction rights

The General Directorate of Water Resources is reviewing a request from the mayor of Es Mercadal to audit water extraction volumes and usage rights. The petition, submitted by Mayor Joan Palliser, seeks clarification on whether the concessionaire Castellosa is permitted to maintain its current extraction rates and if it has the authority to sell water collected from Es Mercadal wells to other municipalities.

The request follows reports that Veolia, the water management company for Maó, has been purchasing water via tanker trucks from Castellosa. This has raised concerns in Es Mercadal, as the Sa Roca-Alabaida groundwater mass, which supplies the local population, is currently at 27 percent capacity. While Castellosa holds authorizations for supply and irrigation within Es Mercadal, local officials are seeking official confirmation regarding the scope of these rights.