The gardens of Santa Eugènia, in Girona, are experiencing a summer of extreme tension. The lack of water due to the drought is compounded by improvement works that have reduced the available flow. Some gardeners, located near the entrance, block the irrigation to secure their supply, leaving the furthest crops without a single drop. Plants are dying, and arguments between neighbors have become a daily occurrence.
External pipe: the technical solution that never arrives 🌊
The solution proposed by the city council is to install an external pipe that bypasses the conflict zones and guarantees an equitable distribution of water. However, there is no execution date. Meanwhile, the current network, designed for lower consumption, cannot handle the demand. The most affected gardeners have proposed control valves and strict schedules, but the lack of maintenance and bureaucracy hinder any immediate technical progress.
The water war: irrigations, blockades, and a weeping tomato 🍅
The scene is worthy of a dryland western: gardeners armed with hoses, sidelong glances, and the occasional lettuce plant as a human shield. Whoever holds the irrigation key becomes the local chief, and those at the back can only dream of rain or the external pipe arriving before their peppers turn into raisins. Meanwhile, the only one thriving is the snail, which already has its own pond.