As we appear to move past the worst phase of the drought, many citizens are left wondering: what should we now do with all the buckets we used to collect and reuse cold shower water? Should we discard them, or keep them handy for the inevitable next drought?
Unfortunately, it seems neither society nor policymakers have truly learned from this experience. Instead of fundamentally rethinking our water use and consumption patterns, we have activated costly, energy-intensive, conventional “grey” technologies such as desalination, wastewater regeneration, and interbasin transfers. While these methods indeed increase water availability for the general public, industry, agriculture, livestock farming, and tourism, they come with significant economic and environmental costs.
The prevailing mindset remains oriented toward continuous growth—both in terms of population and production capacity—fueled by these new, alternative water resources. Yet, this approach overlooks the critical reality that water, although renewable, is increasingly unevenly distributed due to climate change, particularly in Mediterranean regions like ours. Water scarcity events will only become more frequent and severe, challenging our long-term economic stability and societal resilience.
To sustainably address this challenge, we must embrace policies aimed at degrowth, especially targeting sectors with high water consumption. Rather than solely investing in technologies that intensify our ecological footprint, we should prioritize green, sustainable solutions that better retain and optimize water usage without promoting indefinite economic expansion. Nature will not allow us to do so, and the fault is ours.
Continuing along our current trajectory risks widening the social divide, disproportionately affecting vulnerable communities while empowering those who control the distribution and access to water resources. A fundamental shift is necessary. We must rethink our relationship with water, ensuring equitable access and sustainable management. Thus, perhaps we should hold onto those buckets a little longer—not merely as tools to navigate drought, but as reminders that real change requires adapting our lifestyles and economic models to the planet’s ecological limits.
Full Professor of Chemical Engineering at the University of Girona.
Director of Institut de Medi Ambient at the University of Girona,