The government will propose the construction of a desalination plant in the municipality of Albufeira, Algarve, and wants to open the tender until the end of the year, announced today the Minister of Environment and Climate Action, Duarte Cordeiro.
“According to the studies conducted by Águas de Portugal and that will be delivered for the environmental impact assessment, the place where we will propose the installation of the desalination plant is the municipality of Albufeira,” the minister said in parliament.
Duarte Cordeiro, who was speaking in a debate on water requested by the PSD, also revealed that the Alentejo’s water efficiency plan is ready and will be presented soon.
This month, said Duarte Cordeiro, the government will award the contract for the Alqueva connection to the Monte da Rocha reservoir, “in order to guarantee the necessary two-year volume of water for public supply” in the reservoir.
The minister made a balance of the measures taken against the drought and the optimization of the water resource, after the Government was accused by the PSD, through the voice of Bruno Coimbra, of just “waiting for it to rain”.
The deputy spoke of water losses of 30%, of the “almost non-existent use of treated water,” of activities that are constrained by the lack of water, and accused the executive of not presenting measures for “a robust policy” for water.
Bruno Coimbra also criticized that “the licenses for the use of water resources” have been replaced “by mere previous communications” and accused the Government of not having yet paid the support for the 2022 drought.