Report on the impact of the drinking water ban on the public trust regarding the safety of tap water

Between June and September of 2024, the Spanish Living Lab conducted a survey in the municipalities of Los Pedroches affected by a drinking water ban on the public trust regarding the safety of tap water. With responses from 700 residents, results showed significant changes in drinking water consumption habits, a loss of trust in tap water and a high degree of dissatisfaction with official communication during the crisis.

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In the winter of 2023, and as a result of a multi-year drought, the water levels in the Sierra Boyera reservoir, which is located south of Los Pedorches and is the only source of drinking water for the region, dropped dramatically. In order to ensure continuous water supply, water authorities connected the drinking water system to the La Colada reservoir, located in the region. The water of La Colada is heavily polluted with agricultural runoff and inadequately treated urban wastewater. As a result, authorities banned the use of tap water for human consumption in April 2023. Heavy rains in late winter of 2024 allowed water levels in Sierra Colada to recuperate and end to the ban in April 2024.

Following the drinking water ban, tap water consumption decreased from 60.4% to 15.1%, while bottled water use increased from 25% to 72.6%. After the end of the ban, in April 2024, only 15.1% of the original tap water drinkers returned to drinking tap water, whereas 41% became permanent consumers of bottled water.

During the crisis, many people turned to non-institutional social networks. Only a minority consulted official sources, with 52.6% stating that they did not use them at all. Dissatisfaction with institutional communication was widespread, with more than 75% rating it as inadequate or not adequate in terms of content, frequency and channels used.

Trust in tap water dropped significantly, from 3.55 to 2.08 points (on a scale of 1 to 5). The biggest drop was among new consumers of bottled water. Those who resumed tap water consumption showed higher levels of confidence, especially if they received information directly from municipalities.

The causes of the crisis were mainly attributed to inadequate urban wastewater treatment (60.7%) and livestock waste (47%). 40.8% of people said that at least two or more factors were involved in the crisis.

The survey carried out in Los Pedroches reveals a prolonged loss of confidence in tap water and in the institutions responsible, as a result of the episode of non-potability. This change has led to an increase in the consumption of bottled water, with environmental and economic impacts. The situation highlights the need to improve official communication, prevent future crises and comprehensively address structural causes to reduce diffuse contamination.

Read more here [https://icisk.eu/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Impacto-del-episodio-de-no-potabilidad-del-agua-de-grifo-en-Los-Pedroches.pdf]https://icisk.eu/living-labs/living-lab-details-es/ – News ítem: Informe sobre el impacto del episodio de no potabilidad del agua de grifo en la comarca de Los Pedroches. Full report on drinking water: https://icisk.eu/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Impacto-del-episodio-de-no-potabilidad-del-agua-de-grifo-en-Los-Pedroches.pdf