There are said to be one million illegal wells in Spain. They help to quench the thirst of our food, especially fruit and vegetables. The tense water situation has consequences, not only for the environment.

This is shown by the case of the toddler Julen, who fell into a well and died. Water activists like Felipe Fuentelsaz fight against illegal water extraction and well drilling and promote a new and sustainable water conservation label to sensitise farmers and consumers to the water issue. Felipe has been using satellite imagery to track down illegal croplands and wells and report them to the local water board for 16 years.

But so far without much success. He focuses his attention in particular on the Doñana National Park. This UNESCO World Heritage Site is severely threatened by illegal water extraction for intensive fruit cultivation. About 30 percent of Europe's strawberries are produced in the region. Due to about 1,000 illegal wells - in the Doñana area alone - the groundwater level has dropped drastically. Streams and rivers can no longer irrigate the wetlands. Swamps and lagoons are drying up.

For Felipe, the fight for water is a life task. From his point of view, Europe is living beyond its means. By selling fruit and vegetables, Spain exports water to other countries. At the same time, Spain, battered by the economic crisis, depends on the agricultural economy, which has shown itself to be one of the few stable sectors.