Latest news and stories about water supply in environment in Almada, Setúbal, Portugal for expats and residents.
The consumer protection association DECO criticizes the water tariff in Almada, citing a double penalty for residents amidst a crisis that ERSAR identifies as a significant management failure.
Water reserves in the Almada municipality have reached 40%, prompting the Municipal Water and Sanitation Services to evaluate potential reductions in ongoing supply cuts that have affected areas like Costa da Caparica.
Approximately 1,500 residents in Costa da Caparica, Almada, staged a protest march to demand immediate action regarding persistent water supply failures that have left households without water for days during extreme heat.
Water supply is gradually returning to six areas in Almada following a burst pipe repair, though the municipality continues to face systemic shortages due to record-high consumption levels.
Portugal maintains high levels of water quality and access to supply, but a lack of investment in infrastructure renewal is creating growing risks to service reliability, with over 26% of the precious potable water resource still being lost in the network. In an interview with Expresso, the president of the Water and Waste Services Regulation Authority (ERSAR) says the supply crisis in Almada should serve as a warning to municipalities and advocates for greater cooperation between local authorities, strengthening network efficiency, and an urgent commitment to modernising the sector's systems.
The Municipal Water and Sanitation Services (SMAS) in Almada have detected multiple locations experiencing major water leakage.
The new president of Águas de Portugal warns that the case in Almada is not unique. There are other municipalities where a lack of investment in the network could jeopardise public supply.
A borehole has entered operation ahead of schedule to respond to the state of alert in Almada. Four more are in preparation, including one in Seixal, which has already been awarded but is missing one authorisation.
More than half of the twelve water reservoirs that supply the municipality of Almada still show levels below normal, reveals a chart made available online today by the Municipal Water and Sanitation Services (SMAS).
A former executive board member of the Almada SMAS, who is a member of the PSD, says that an alternative to the water supply must be created in Almada and other municipalities in Setúbal that rely on boreholes.
With an alert situation active and consumption restrictions in place, the SMAS report that there were no interruptions. Three boreholes in Seixal may soon reinforce the network by 20%.
A new borehole that began operating this Sunday represents a 20% recovery in water levels in the municipality. The situation was reportedly stabilised overnight, but it has not yet returned to normal.
The Revolutionary Guard's decision comes after Washington retaliated against the Iranian attack on a civilian vessel. Tehran demands the US leave the Gulf and the Secretary of Defense guarantees that Iran will pay.
The start of operations for a new water extraction borehole was scheduled for the end of the month, but it has been accelerated and will now begin this Sunday. It could increase capacity by 20%.
The President of the Portuguese Environment Agency, José Pimenta Machado, states that water reservoirs in Almada are recovering their levels.
The European Commission is calling for higher water prices in Portugal and has raised concerns regarding the efficiency of water management by local municipalities.
The true state of the aquifer is unknown. Supply failures expose the weaknesses of a system under pressure due to increased consumption in a region where gradual ground subsidence is occurring, associated with sediment compaction when groundwater extraction is not offset by natural recharge.
The Minister of Environment, Maria da Graça Carvalho, met this Thursday with the Mayor of Almada, Inês de Medeiros, and assured journalists that the situation is receiving close supervision from both the local council and the Government.
The Minister of Environment stated that Almada has failed to make necessary investments in its water supply system, urging the municipality to apply for available funds to modernise infrastructure and reduce water loss. Maria da Graça Carvalho noted that while funding is available through the Sustainable 2030 programme, the local authority must submit proposals to access it, adding that the municipality has sufficient revenue from water billing to invest even without EU support.
“We already have a new borehole in operation, and we will have another one this year that will greatly help to resolve the issue. Therefore, we are setting July as the forecast date,” says a councillor from Almada City Council.
The affected areas are Monte da Caparica, Lazarim, Palhais, Alto do Índio, Vale Flores, and Costa da Caparica. Additionally, the number of districts under a red warning from the IPMA due to heat has increased.
