The meters from Canal de Isabel II register spikes of up to 30% in water demand during the breaks of Spain's matches in the World Cup, while during the game consumption drops by up to 18%.
When referee Michael Oliver stopped the match between Spain and Belgium at the SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles for a hydration break, millions of Madrileños did the same as the footballers: fill a glass of water. But not only that. The gesture, repeated during the quarter-finals of the World Cup, has left a clear mark on the meters of Canal de Isabel II.
The tap closes with the initial whistle
According to data from Canal de Isabel II accessed by this newspaper, during the match on Monday against Portugal, water demand in the capital fell by an average of 8.35% compared to the previous Monday. A total of 166,248 cubic meters were consumed, compared to 181,399.
The decline began even before the initial whistle. Madrileños adjusted their routines to be ready in front of the television: from 20:00, an hour before the match, consumption began to drop. Minutes before 21:00, the flow plummeted by 18%, reaching its lowest point at 21:53, in the final moments of the first half.
There was only a brief spike during that first half: around 21:30, coinciding with the hydration break, consumption rose by 8% compared to the minutes before and after. Attention returned to the pitch and domestic water use continued to decline.
The break and the second pause boost consumption
The break, a traditional stop in any match, caused an even more striking effect. Just before 22:00, the flow had hit a low of less than 20 cubic meters per second. In just five minutes, it surged by more than 30%, peaking at 26 cubic meters per second. Madrileños took the opportunity to go to the bathroom, drink water, or even wash the dishes.
The second half repeated the pattern, with an even greater explosion of consumption during the hydration break, which occurred after 22:30. The moment of greatest attention – and lowest demand – was reached in the final minutes, with anomalous data for a Monday at that hour, below 20 cubic meters per second.
Coincidentally, fortune smiled on Spain at that moment: in the 91st minute, Mikel Merino scored the goal that eliminated Portugal and put Spain into the quarter-finals for the first time in 16 years. There was one minute left until 23:00.
The final toast with water
Since the goal, consumption surged again by another 30%, surpassing 26 cubic meters per second. Madrileños, even though it was a Monday, toasted with water – at the very least – on another memorable night of Spanish football.
For the residents of the Community of Madrid, this means that during the upcoming matches – if Spain continues to advance – the peaks in water demand will concentrate during the breaks and hydration pauses. If you plan to shower or wash dishes, you might want to do so before the initial whistle or wait until half-time. Canal de Isabel II is already monitoring these patterns to anticipate potential strains on the network, although no incidents have been recorded so far.
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