Water Interpretation Centers: A Case Study in Spanish Territory

The shortage of water in the Iberian Peninsula has become one of the most pressing environmental problems and of greater transcendence in recent decades. This issue is also underlined at the international level because of climate change. The proliferation of interpretation centers that focus their attention on water in Spain is a relevant response to the need for public awareness of the problem of water as a scarce resource, as well as at the international level. Among the issues that we raise in this work we highlight: to what extent has been the strategy of the construction of Water Interpretation Centers (WIC) and if its contents, methodologies, resources and facilities have effectively contributed to a greater awareness of the population on the problem of water? Finally, how are these centers fragile in time in relation to their stability and the working conditions of their staff? The methodology is based on descriptive–evaluative research, with the following phases: preparation of a census of interpretation centers at the state level, and the design and submission of a form around six topics and data analysis. In conclusion, we can highlight that 150 centers have been registered. Finally, the main conclusion is that the crisis has affected the sector, causing a drop in financing and in the supply of activities, where it has not recovered at present.