ABSTRACT

Spanish authorities have proposed providing external resources to substitute for non-renewable groundwater withdrawals in the south-eastern Murcia Plateau, which would require building new water infrastructure. This article assesses the supply costs and the economic impact of two alternatives, one based on supplying desalinated seawater and the other based on supplying water from the Tagus–Segura Transfer, with an innovative scheme to exchange it for desalinated seawater. It is found that farmers cannot afford the cost of either alternative. Authorities face the dilemma of either strongly subsidizing the external water supply, beyond what seems reasonable, or facing a disproportionate impact on the local economy.

摘要

西班牙当局已提议提供外部资源来替代穆尔西亚高原东南部不可再生的地下水抽取，这将需要建设新的水利基础设施。本文评估了两种替代方案的供应成本和经济影响，一种基于供应淡化海水，另一种基于从 Tagus-Segura 转运站供水，并采用创新方案将其换成淡化海水。发现农民负担不起任何一种选择的成本。当局面临两难境地，要么大力补贴外部供水，超出看似合理的范围，要么面临对当地经济的不成比例影响。