Girona initially approves the regulations for the Water Observatory

The Girona City Council has initially approved the Regulations of the Water Observatory of the Girona System, a stable body for citizen participation to monitor public policies linked to the integrated water cycle. The agreement, adopted by the Plenary in the session of July 27, 2026, is published in the Official Gazette of the Generalitat de Catalunya (DOGC no. 9739, of August 27, 2026) and now opens a 30-working-day period for public information.

The decision, recorded in Plenary agreement number 2026000285 (file 2026039395), submits the text to claims and suggestions before its final approval. The Observatory arises from the collaboration of the city councils of Girona, Salt, and Sarrià de Ter, with its registered office at Carrer de la Cort Reial, 7, Girona (Old Town Civic Center).

A consultative body for water governance

The Regulations define the Observatory as a citizen participation body of a consultative, informative, and advisory nature, with the objective of channeling information from citizens and entities regarding the water service and the management of its integrated cycle from an environmental and social perspective. Its agreements will not be binding for the municipal governing bodies.

The scope of action covers the supply and distribution of drinking water, sanitation, the protection and restoration of ecosystems linked to the water system, adaptation to climate change, and the guarantee of the human right to water. Among its functions, the following stand out:

• Issuing agreements, reports, studies, and proposals that may be submitted to municipal bodies.
• Issuing opinions at the request of municipal plenaries, the government, or service managers.
• Proposing priorities for budget allocations destined for the water service and evaluating their execution.
• Promoting networking with political, economic, and social actors.

Structure and composition

The Observatory will be composed of a Plenary, a Permanent Commission, a Secretariat, a Coordination office, a Governing Board, and Thematic Areas. The Presidency will rotate in annual periods among the three municipalities, starting with Girona, followed by Salt, and finally Sarrià de Ter.

The Plenary will be formed by the councilor holding the presidency, the vice-presidencies, one representative from each municipal political group, one municipal water technician from each municipality, representatives of entities and associations linked to water and the environment, representatives of public operators of the urban water cycle, the Secretariat, and the Coordination office. The Plenary will meet at least once a year in an ordinary session.

Financing and hearing process

The Regulations provide that municipal budgets may incorporate an allocation for the promotion of participation, and that funding may come entirely from the city councils or be supplemented by contributions from other public entities linked to water management.

During the public information process, the agreement will be published in the Official Gazette of the Province, in the DOGC, in a daily written media outlet, and on the notice board of the Girona City Council. Furthermore, a hearing will be granted for 30 business days to entities such as Càritas Diocesana de Girona, the Associació Naturalistes de Girona, the Catalan Institute for Water Research, Aigua és Vida Girona, the Comunitat de Regants de la Séquia Monar, the Aliança contra la Pobresa Energètica, Engineers Without Borders, and the UNESCO Chair of Sustainable Human Development.

If no claims are presented, the initial approval agreement will be elevated to definitive and the full text will be published in the BOP, at which point the Regulations will enter into force. The creation of the Observatory represents a relevant step for transparency and citizen participation in water management in the Girona area, within a context of challenges derived from climate change and the need to guarantee the right to water.

Source: Official Gazette of the Generalitat de Catalunya, no. 9739, August 27, 2026, Local Administration section (official reference: CVE-DOGC-A-26231018-2026).