“We promised that we would re-evaluate the situation in the Algarve at the end of August. Fortunately, it is going well. We will see what the Portuguese Environment Agency concludes, but there have been very significant savings” in the agriculture, tourism and human consumption sectors, she said.
However, according to the minister, who spoke to Lusa news agency on the sidelines of the opening of the traditional August Fair, in Grândola, in the Setúbal region, “it is possible to do more” in collaboration with the municipalities of the Algarve region.
“We are working with municipalities to reduce the number of wells, we are funding municipalities to do leakage reduction work, because there are municipalities that have 30 to 40% leakage, we are increasing the capacity of some of the facilities, some of the existing dams, and also as was the case in Odeleite, we are using more recycled water for the golf courses.
In addition to these measures, the government “will invest in new sources of water, such as the desalination plant in the Algarve,” Maria Graça Carvalho explained.
According to the Minister responsible for the Environment, the Algarve and “the western coast of the Alentejo, which includes the Alentejo coast, are two areas of concern” for the current government led by Luis Montenegro.
“The west coast of the Alentejo is fortunately developing, attracting a lot of industrial investment in Sines, agricultural investment in the Mira area. [Odemira] And tourism investments, but for all this, water is needed.”
According to her, “new water sources” are needed, and the construction of a “desalination plant” in the coastal Alentejo region is one of the solutions still under study.
“One thing that is clear is that industrial investments in Sense, and specifically hydrogen projects, must have their own water solution, because hydrogen is made from renewable energy, but also from water,” she said.
About 40% of mainland Portugal was experiencing moderate or severe climate drought at the end of July, according to the Portuguese Institute of the Sea and Atmosphere (IPMA) in its climate bulletin last month.
