The salinization of rivers is a global problem affecting countries all over the world. Climate change and increasing water consumption are further worsening the outlook for the future, according to research developed by an international team led by experts from the Department of Ecology of the University of Barcelona, Narcs Prat, Miguel Caelles, and others.
In Europe, the process of salinization of rivers due to human activities is getting worse, and it is also a problem in Spain. This video discusses salinization in the Catalan river systems, such as the Llobregat River basin, which is supported by Mesocosmos Sostaqua, a project located at the water-treatment plant of Balsareny and designed to improve water sustainability. According to Narcs Prat, “the levels of salinity at the lower stretches of the Llobregat River, where the area of potash mining begins, are so high that it can only be used for agricultural, not human consumption. The same is true for the lower stretches of the Bess River, where the water also becomes saltier. Here, the reason is not mining but all the processes developed to decalcify the water, for example, in dishwashers, when we add salt to avoid the stains that lime scale will cause”.
“El Medi Ambient” is a daily program directed by Xavier Duran for the TV3 information service, one of the channels of the regional “Televisi de Catalunya”. It aims to provide an informative but rigorous overview of environmental issues to a broad audience. The programs are not only about natural areas, biodiversity, and archaeological remains but also innovation, economics, welfare, and health, and they always try to reflect different sides of the argument.
More info: El Medi Ambient
Produced by: TV3
Language: Catalan, English subtitles
Year: 2013
Region: Europe
