The reservoirs begin June at 85.9 % of their capacity, 7 points above the average

May has been warmer and rainier than last year, and since the beginning of the year 4 % less water has been consumed

• Since the state of alarm began, water consumption has been 7 points below the same period in 2019

• Canal de Isabel II calls for responsible water consumption during the summer months

The Autonomous Community of Madrid's reservoirs begin in June at 85.9 % of their maximum capacity, with values 11.7 points above than those recorded in 2019 and 7.3 % above the historical average. In total, they store 810.3 cubic hectometres of water, 110 more than a year ago, and accumulate 7 consecutive months with increases in reservoir water levels.

Furthermore, drinking water consumption continues to show a downward trend: in May, 42.5 cubic hectometres of water were consumed in the Autonomous Community of Madrid, 7 % less than in May of last year.

In total, since the beginning of the hydrological year 2019-2020, in October, water consumption in the Autonomous Community of Madrid is 2.4 % below that of the previous hydrological year, and this increases to 4 % if we compare the data from the beginning of 2020 with the first five months of 2019.

May 2020 has been a warmer and, above all, wetter month than the previous year: Canal's dams have collected 61.1 millimetres of rainfall compared to 4.7 last year, while average temperatures have been almost one degree higher. However, given that only 9 days of rainfall were recorded for the reservoirs in the whole month, input was 39% below the historical average, with 51.2 cubic hectometres of water collected from the dams.

Since the confinement began, the people of Madrid have consumed 7.1 % less water than on the same days in 2019: between 14 and 31 May, Canal de Isabel II diverted 97.9 cubic hectometres of water for consumption, while in the same period in 2019 a further 7.5 cubic hectometres were diverted.

EFFICIENT AND RESPONSIBLE CONSUMPTION

With these data, and especially at a time in which water plays a fundamental role in the health recommendations for hygiene to prevent the spread of COVID-19, Canal de Isabel II asks the citizens to use water efficiently and responsibly, and has made recommendations for saving water available on its YouTube channel and website www.canaldeisabelsegunda.es

The hydrological situation in the Autonomous Community of Madrid is good and stable, and the responsible use of water is perfectly compatible with the hygienic habits recommended by health authorities at this time: opting for a shower instead of a bath, using household appliances at full load whenever possible and turning off the tap while we’re washing ourselves contributes to preserving a resource that is as important as it is limited.

Canal de Isabel II was founded almost 170 years ago to supply water to the city of Madrid, and currently more than 2,800 employees work to provide services to more than 6 million people in the entire region. It is an innovative public company, a leader in its sector, and internationally recognised for its management of the integrated water cycle.

It operates 13 reservoirs; 78 spring tappings; 17,601 kilometres of water conveyance and distribution; 131 drinking water pumping stations and 133 waste water stations; 15,083 kilometres of sewer system networks; 65 storm tanks; 157 waste water treatment plants; and 615 kilometres of recycled water networks.