Right on the edge of the EN125, between the new access roundabout to Quarteira and the Maritenda pier, there are houses, shops and restaurants without running water or basic sanitation. The situation has dragged on for decades, prompting the affected people to make posters, which are placed by the road, where they "claim a basic right".
Vítor Aleixo, mayor of Loulé, is in solidarity with the protest and accuses Rotas do Algarve Litoral (RAL), the sub-concessionaire responsible for the road works, of «creating obstacles and more obstacles» to the interventions planned by the municipality.
O Sul Informação he was there, where he spoke with Luísa Adrião, from the Galeria Artesanal handicraft store, located next to Benfarras. “This is a third world situation. There are people who, when they come here, are amazed when I say that we do not have running water or basic sanitation», he considered.
Domitília Gonçalves, owner of the same space, says that “every year they tell us that it is now, but the work never advances. What's more, we are here so close to Vilamoura».
To our newspaper, Vítor Aleixo assured that he will continue “stubbornly trying to unblock the situation”. “I'm totally on the people's side. Their indignation is mine too,” he added.
In fact, according to the mayor, «the last project of the Municipality of Loulé for the execution of the works is being approved by IP (Infraestruturas de Portugal) since November 10, 2016». This is a project that would cost around 2,3 million euros.
«It was never possible to solve the problem. I very much regret that this is the case, but I have been facing problems of a bureaucratic nature», he said.
What the mayor wanted is that these improvements, which are the responsibility of the Chamber, would advance at the same time as the works on the EN125, to avoid having to go through everything again. But RAL has never responded positively to this claim.
Vítor Aleixo also underlines that "that is an area in which it is justified to have water and basic sanitation." Even so, Vítor Aleixo insisted on stating: "anyone who thinks that, at some time, the entire municipality of Loulé, whose population is quite dispersed, will have all houses served by water and sewage, is not responsible."
Rui Sousa, executive director of the sub-concessionaire, contacted by Sul Informação, said "not being aware" of this situation that affects merchants and residents.
“In that area, as far as we think we know, basic sanitation and piped water is an infrastructure under the responsibility of the Municipality of Loulé. RAL has no intervention in this matter,” he added.
For now, the truth is that works will advance, for connections of water and basic sanitation, in the Benfarras area, but that will only serve houses to the North and South of the EN125. «A project started on the 17th of July, next to the restaurant “O Nando”», advanced Vítor Aleixo.
Two other works “will start within 30 days”, according to the mayor's forecast. One of them, for example, concerns the construction of three pumping stations – one near the roundabout providing access to Vilamoura, another at the roundabout at Olhos de Água, and, finally, a third at the intersection that gives access to the Benfarras school.
"With this, we are going to solve a problem that has not been solved for many years," said Vítor Aleixo.
But none of these works will provide, with water and sanitation, these houses along the EN125. There are also cafes and restaurants around there, such as the popular “Bistro”, just after the Vilamoura roundabout, but also the “Parque das Laranjeiras” hotel. None of them have running water or sewage connected to the public network.
Pedro Pereira, manager of the "Bistro", told the Sul Informação that this situation affects "a lot the business". “Practically every week I have to empty the pit. The smell is also very annoying», he added.
Over there, the road works have already ended, but Pedro Pereira warns: «when they put water and basic sanitation here, they'll have to dig it all up again».
Photos: Pedro Lemos | Sul Informação
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