Two days of rain in northern Spain have brought brief relief from the crippling drought that has stricken the region, but experts are warning that the respite will be short-lived. Anyone planning a southern sojourn this summer might want to pack the bottled water.

Climate change is blamed for the worst drought in Spain since records began, with total rainfall down by 60% on seasonal averages. Until last week’s downpours, the reservoirs serving Barcelona had dipped below 20% capacity, with engineers warning that when they reached 14% capacity, they would become redundant because of the difficulty of purifying what were the dregs.

Last week, Barcelona’s mayor, Jordi Hereu, chartered a fleet of 10 tankers to ship drinking water into the city at a reported cost of £17m a month. Critics say the move, which meets just 6% of Barcelona’s daily needs, is an expensive publicity stunt and will serve only to scare tourists away.

Jordi Reus, who owns a bar in Barcelona, said the strong euro had already hit business and the water shortage would scare more tourists away. “Even 100 boats a day couldn’t bring enough water in, and now they’re talking about bringing it in on trains. It’s a catastrophe.”

Strict emergency measures have been imposed along the Costa Brava to protect water reserves, with beach showers disconnected and fines of up to £2,400 for those caught watering lawns, washing cars or filling pools.

The tourist trade is worried. “If someone has to restrict the use of water, it should not be tourists,” said Marti Sabria, of the local hotel federation, but others in the industry say tourists themselves are going to have to change.

“People are going to have to get used to a more eco-sensitive way of life when they holiday here in future,” said Joan Daroca, a letting agent.

“To expect green lawns, Jacuzzis and huge swimming pools in a country that can’t even provide enough water to drink is unreasonable.”

Other villa agencies say that, for this summer at least, the pools will be filled, whatever the law says.

“The drought is serious, but the ban is only on filling pools with hosepipes,” said Phil Fleming, of Costa Brava Connections. “We can still fill pools by ordering tankers of water, and that’s what we’ll have to do.”

One good thing to turn up at the bottom of an empty reservoir is a medieval church. Sant Roma disappeared in the 1960s, when the River Ter was dammed, but now the ruins are back on dry land, drawing hundreds of sightseers.

Times recommends

• A career break to Timbuktu
• Canoe man and Bond boost Panama tourism
• Flybe extras that broke the bank