The flow of the Lérez river, which supplies the region of Pontevedra, is at a minimum.
The riverbed is so dry that a few days ago the pulp factory that Ence has at the foot of the estuary and that captures water from it was forced to stop its activity and has had to activate an ERTE.
The restrictions now reach residents in the city.
The City Council of Pontevedra, with 83,000 inhabitants, has issued a decree on Tuesday in which it prohibits residents from filling swimming pools, watering gardens and washing private cars.
The "exceptional measures" for the drought also include a reduction in municipal consumption, both in public fountains and when flushing the streets.
And the consistory urges companies and industries to follow suit.
The local government describes the situation as "moderate scarcity" of water.
"We are anticipating a scenario of greater alert because it is essential that the population become aware of this matter," said the councilor of the local government Carme da Silva.
The City Council will monitor the evolution of the river that supplies the city with the tension that "the scenarios can change in a matter of days."
The concern, acknowledges Da Silva, is “enormous”.
In the first 15 days of July, rainfall in Galicia was 33% lower than the average for this time of year.
The Technical Office of the Drought of the Xunta warns in a report that in less than 20 days the decrease in the average flow of the Lérez is close to 75%.
This river, which is already below its ecological flow, supplies four municipalities, in addition to the capital: Bueu, Marín, Poio and Sanxenxo.
Between all of them there are around 155,000 registered inhabitants, but in summer this population and, therefore, the consumption of water multiplies, especially in Sanxenxo, the epicenter of Galician tourism.
The affected localities have decided to hold weekly meetings to take further action depending on how the situation evolves.
Sanxenxo has distanced itself from this collaboration front for the time being.
"We are all clear that it is necessary to take measures to reduce consumption and see how the situation progresses," admits Councilor Da Silva.
The Xunta will meet this Wednesday with the municipalities of the Pontevedra area to discuss the "shortage pre-alert" in the Lérez river basin.
"We have been in a prolonged drought since February, in pre-alert due to scarcity in the Lérez basin... In this context, water scarcity must be taken very seriously," says the Minister of Infrastructures of the Xunta, Ethel Vázquez.