The advice the Government has received from the technical experts at AquaGib is that, although the plant is now producing a substantial amount of water, stocks are being replenished first and this may result in a fluctuation of water flow across Gibraltar for a number of days. This means that low water pressure may result in consumers having water for some periods and no water for others. Therefore, the Government would like to urge the public to continue to be conservative with their consumption of potable water.

Additionally, the Government is delighted to announce the successful delivery of over 300,000 litres of potable water from Spain which has been unloaded into the AquaGib system at Hesse’s reservoir. The Government expects that this contingency measure will continue and further increase our supplies over the coming days.

The Deputy Chief Minister, the Hon Dr Joseph Garcia CMG MP, said: ‘I have tonight just finished chairing, alongside His Excellency the Governor, the ninth Strategic Coordinating Group dealing with water shortage issues. The Government was briefed in detail by the technical experts at AquaGib and we are delighted that the temporary repair works to the pipe supplying the Reverse Osmosis Plant at Governor’s Cottage have been successful and that potable water is now being produced. I would like to stress, however, that although AquaGib are now producing potable water once more, they have advised the Government that this will be used to replenish stocks which means that supplies across Gibraltar will continue to fluctuate for a number of days. The Government will issue a further update tomorrow Sunday following the next meeting.’