Latest news and stories about water supply in daily life in 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.
Twenty-one locations in Almada, including Charneca da Caparica and Aroeira, will face a total water supply interruption from Monday night until Tuesday morning to facilitate infrastructure improvements supported by a new borehole connection from Seixal.
The Almada municipality has announced further night-time water supply cuts affecting ten areas to restore reserves, prompting concerns from local business owners regarding potential compensation claims and warnings from regulators about temporary water quality changes.
A new water extraction borehole in Almada will begin operations this Sunday, aiming to boost the municipal supply system's capacity by approximately 20%.
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.
Tariff brackets for non-domestic users and a special regime for entities of local public interest have been introduced.
The Almada municipality, which has experienced a water supply crisis in recent months, states it has been working with EPAL (Empresa Portuguesa das Águas Livres) for nearly a month to draft a potential contract with the company.
The municipality of Almada, in the Setúbal district, will no longer be in an alert status as of this Monday, which had been decreed at the beginning of July due to water supply failures. The alert status was determined on July 8 and later extended until August 31 following successive service failures, with particular...
SMAS explained that reservoir levels have remained above 70%, which allows the situation to be viewed with greater peace of mind.
The SMAS explain that reservoir levels have remained above 70%, which allows for a more relaxed management of the situation and frequent monitoring.
Following successive water supply failures in Almada, the SMAS will lift the alert and states that the situation is now “more stable,” while also guaranteeing the quality of the water for consumption.
SMAS explain that reservoir levels have remained above 70%.
The SMAS state that night-time supply cuts are no longer taking place, with regular water supply to the population being maintained.
More than a month after a critical period for water supply in the Almada municipality, the Municipal Water and Sanitation Services (SMAS) confirm that the situation has stabilised. Night-time supply cuts have ceased, and regular water provision has been restored, alongside a phased approach to public and private irrigation. SMAS reports that average storage levels are expected to remain between 75% and 76%, though natural fluctuations occur due to consumption peaks. Both SMAS and the local health authority have confirmed that the water remains safe for human consumption and meets all legal quality standards, following concerns raised during the supply shortages that began in July.
The SMAS state that supply cuts are no longer taking place, with regular supply to the population being maintained. Reserves remain between 75 and 76%, barring minor fluctuations.
Regarding reserves, the SMAS states that average storage levels are expected to remain, in general terms, between 75% and 76%.
The municipality notes that water reserves are increasing, but that pressure on consumption will remain in August due to rising temperatures and the increase in beach tourism.
On weekdays, the duration of interruptions will be reduced, generally taking place between 1:00 AM and 6:00 AM. At the same time, the gradual restoration of irrigation in some parks will begin.
The gradual recovery of reserves will allow for testing in order to reduce restrictions. Water cuts will no longer occur on weekends, and during the remaining days, cuts will take place from 1:00 am to 6:00 am.
In an initial phase, scheduled water supply cuts in the Almada municipality, in the Setúbal district, will no longer occur on weekends
Average water reserves in Almada have reached 78%, enabling authorities to begin a testing phase to gradually lift some extraordinary measures. Scheduled water supply cuts will no longer occur on weekends, and weekday interruptions will be reduced to the 01:00 to 06:00 window. The municipality is also beginning to restore irrigation in specific public parks after technical testing, while emphasizing that the situation remains under daily monitoring by the crisis cabinet.
In an initial phase, scheduled water supply cuts in the municipality will no longer occur on weekends.
The lack of water in Almada has awakened the country to the problem of poor management of this resource. Waste is significant and the management of supply networks is weak.
The problems with water supply cuts in Almada are impacting the hotel industry.
Water reserves in Almada have recovered to 46%, according to new data from the Municipal Water and Sanitation Services (SMAS). The entity has launched a dashboard to monitor reservoir levels across the municipality. As of July 18, 2026, the 46% average falls into the 'yellow' category (30%-60%), prompting the local authority to evaluate potential reductions in water supply cuts. The data covers 13 local reservoirs. The municipality continues to urge responsible consumption, while the Ombudsman has opened an inquiry into recent supply failures. SMAS also confirmed a new water borehole has been completed following exceptional technical efforts.
Since the beginning of the month, successive failures in water supply have been reported, with a particular impact on the Costa da Caparica, leading the municipal council to declare a state of alert.
Average water reserves in the Almada municipality stood at 40% today, a level that allows for an assessment and potential reduction in the number of hours of supply cuts, according to the Municipal Water and Sanitation Services (SMAS).
SMAS Almada calculates the average reserve based on seven reservoirs. Two new boreholes are already reinforcing the network with an additional 120 m³ of water per hour.
