The Balearic Government has opened preliminary proceedings to investigate the use of water at a private Egyptian-themed party held at the municipal Sa Pedrera quarry in Sant Antoni de Portmany on August 13.

The investigation was confirmed on September 9 by Juan Manuel Lafuente, the Balearic Islands' councillor for the Sea and Water Cycle, during a session of the regional Parliament.

Authorities have requested information from Sant Antoni Town Hall about the event and the water used to create an artificial ornamental lake at the venue.

The investigation will determine how much water was actually used, where it came from and whether any regulations were breached.

A Private Party With an Artificial Lake

The event took place at Sa Pedrera de Can Coix, a former quarry in Sant Antoni that was transformed for the private celebration.

The Egyptian-themed event attracted considerable attention after images showed guests around an artificial body of water created inside the quarry.

The party was organised by US-based event company Van Wyck & Van Wyck.

The use of water has become the central issue surrounding the event, particularly because Ibiza was under a pre-alert for drought at the time.

However, the fact that the island was in pre-alert did not automatically prohibit recreational or ornamental uses of water. The more restrictive measures under Sant Antoni's drought planning apply when the municipality reaches the alert or emergency phases.

This distinction is important because it means that the investigation cannot simply be reduced to whether the island was officially experiencing drought conditions. Authorities will need to establish what type of water was used and whether its use complied with the relevant legislation.

How Much Water Was Used?

One of the biggest unresolved questions is the actual volume of water used to create the lake.

The figure of around 170,000 litres, or 170 tonnes, has been repeatedly cited in political criticism of the event.

That figure has not been independently verified by the organisers or Sant Antoni Town Hall.

Van Wyck & Van Wyck has instead said that the quantity was closer to 60,000 litres.

The municipality has acknowledged that it does not have its own measurement confirming either figure.

As a result, the exact amount remains uncertain.

The difference is substantial. Sixty thousand litres is roughly 60 tonnes of water, while 170,000 litres would be approximately 170 tonnes.

The Balearic Government's investigation is therefore expected to examine documentation that could establish the actual volume.

PSOE Criticises the Use of Water

The issue was raised in Parliament by Socialist deputy Pilar Costa, who strongly criticised the event and described the alleged consumption of water as excessive.

Costa argued that creating an artificial lake for a luxury private party was inappropriate while Ibiza was under drought pressure.

She also questioned the role of Sant Antoni Town Hall in authorising the event and accused the regional government of failing to adequately address what she described as excessive water use.

The Socialist Party has previously called for authorities to establish the origin, nature and precise amount of water used at the party.

Those are political criticisms rather than findings by the authorities, and the Government's newly opened proceedings are intended to determine whether an actual infringement occurred.

Government Says Investigation Must Establish the Facts

Lafuente told Parliament that using water in a wasteful manner would not be appropriate, but stressed that the authorities must first establish what happened.

The councillor confirmed that his department had requested information from Sant Antoni Town Hall and would examine the circumstances before determining whether there had been any infringement.

He also rejected the suggestion that the regional government had supported the event.

The investigation therefore remains at an early stage.

No sanction has been announced and no infringement has been formally established.

Sant Antoni Town Hall Also Looking Into the Matter

The regional investigation is not the only administrative action connected to the controversy.

Sant Antoni Town Hall had already acknowledged that it did not know where the water used for the artificial lake had come from.

Eva María Prats, the municipal councillor responsible for Urban Planning and Activities, previously said that the Town Hall had not supplied the water and that the matter concerned the organisers' private arrangements.

The council subsequently indicated that it would request further information from the organisers.

This leaves several practical questions unanswered, including who supplied the water, how it was transported to Sa Pedrera and what happened to it after the event.

Organisers Say the Water Was Removed for Reuse

Van Wyck & Van Wyck has said that the water used for the lake was subsequently removed for reuse in a greywater system.

The organisers have not publicly provided enough information to independently verify that explanation or identify the specific system involved.

This point could become important during the investigation because the final environmental and regulatory assessment may depend not only on how the water was obtained, but also on how it was used and disposed of.

At present, there is no independently verified account establishing the complete chain from the original source of the water to its final destination.

Ibiza Was Under Drought Pre-Alert

The controversy has gained particular attention because the event took place during a period of water pressure on Ibiza.

The island was under a drought pre-alert in August.

Under the relevant drought planning framework, pre-alert is not equivalent to the more restrictive alert or emergency phases. In pre-alert, the rules did not automatically prohibit recreational or ornamental uses of water.

Once a municipality moves into alert, however, restrictions become significantly stricter, including limitations on the use of drinking water for filling swimming pools and measures affecting ornamental fountains and other aesthetic installations.

That legal distinction means the current investigation will need to establish precisely what water was used and under which regulatory framework.

Ibiza's Water Resources Remain Under Pressure

Although the legal situation during a pre-alert is more nuanced, Ibiza's broader water situation remains a concern.

Groundwater reserves on the island were reported at around 42% in July.

At the same time, the island's desalination plants have been operating at very high levels to meet demand.

The figures help explain why the use of a potentially large quantity of water for a private event has generated a strong political reaction, even though a drought pre-alert did not automatically make such use illegal.

The wider debate is about how water resources should be prioritised and managed during the summer, particularly on an island where demand rises sharply as the seasonal population increases.

The Event Was Held on Municipal Land

Another important element of the case is the location.

Sa Pedrera de Can Coix is municipal property in Sant Antoni.

The Town Hall authorised the event to take place at the site, but the municipal government has stated that it did not provide the water used during the celebration.

The distinction between authorising an event and supplying resources for it is now part of the political debate.

Opposition parties have questioned whether the municipality should have done more to establish the requirements and environmental implications of the event before allowing it to go ahead.

The Town Hall, meanwhile, maintains that questions relating to the organisers' supply arrangements were private matters that it did not control.

A Wider Debate About Events and Ibiza's Resources

The controversy has also revived a broader discussion about the type of private events taking place in Ibiza.

The island has become a major destination for luxury celebrations and high-profile international events, often held in unusual locations and involving substantial temporary infrastructure.

Supporters of such events point to their economic impact and the attraction of international visitors.

Critics argue that the environmental footprint of certain events must be examined carefully, particularly when they involve water, waste, energy consumption or sensitive natural areas.

The Sa Pedrera case has brought that debate into sharp focus because water is one of the island's most closely watched resources.

No Decision on Possible Sanctions Yet

At this stage, there is no confirmed sanction against the organisers or any other party.

The Balearic Government has only confirmed that preliminary proceedings have been opened and that information has been requested from Sant Antoni Town Hall.

The investigation must now establish the facts before authorities can determine whether any administrative infringement took place.

Among the questions likely to be examined are the actual volume of water used, its origin, the legal basis for its supply, who authorised the relevant arrangements and what happened to the water after the event.

Until those points are established, claims about illegal or excessive water use remain allegations rather than confirmed findings.

The Questions Still Hanging Over Sa Pedrera

Almost a month after the event, the main questions surrounding the artificial lake remain unresolved.

The exact quantity of water is disputed, with estimates ranging from approximately 60,000 to 170,000 litres.

The source of the water has not been independently confirmed, nor has the identity of the supplier or the precise destination of the water after the party.

The Balearic Government's investigation is now intended to establish those facts and determine whether any regulations were breached.

For Ibiza, the case has become another point of tension between the island's international luxury-event economy and growing concern over the management of limited natural resources.

The artificial lake at Sa Pedrera may have disappeared after the party, but the questions over how it was filled, how much water it required and whether its use complied with the rules are now firmly in the hands of the authorities.