The reactivation of public groundwater abstractions, greater control of private boreholes in the most vulnerable aquifers and the suspension of licenses for new abstractions and the waterproofing of the Alvor irrigation perimeter channel to reduce losses are some of the contingency measures approved in a meeting held yesterday, in Lagos, which brought together representatives from various public and private entities in the Algarve.
The purpose of this meeting of the Regional Subcommittee for the South Zone of the Albufeiras Management Commission, convened by the Portuguese Environment Agency (APA), served to evaluate and implement contingency measures, given the worsening hydrological situation in the Algarve and the extreme drought situation. that affects the entire region.
In addition to the mayors of the Algarve Chambers, who are still going to discuss and approve measures to be implemented at the county level, which, like the Sul Informação progress, include the reduction of irrigation and the closure of sources, among others, yesterday's meeting was attended by representatives of CCDR Algarve, Águas do Algarve, the agricultural sector and irrigation associations, the tourist sector and golf companies and entities national and regional public bodies with competences in the area of the environment, water resources, agriculture, civil protection, among others.
In the end, and “after analysis and discussion”, more than a dozen contingency measures were approved, announced the APA.
On the side of saving water from dams and aquifers, the decision remains to use the Bravura Dam exclusively for public supply, «temporarily suspending all other uses».
Also with regard to this dam, which is at less than 15% of its total capacity, the reduction of the fish load will be considered and the «assessment of the possible capture of dead volume from the Bravura reservoir».
On the other hand, public underground water abstractions will be reactivated in the municipalities of Lagos, Vila do Bispo and Aljezur, as well as the exploration of abstraction for agricultural irrigation in the Luz-Tavira water body.
The measures also include the «assessment of the production of temporary crops to be carried out by the Association of Irrigators and Beneficiaries of Silves, Lagoa and Portimão» and the «waterproofing of the channel of the irrigation perimeter of Alvor to reduce losses».
With regard to private wells, it was decided to implement "additional self-control in private groundwater abstractions in water bodies of greater vulnerability and with greater intensity of exploitation", as well as to maintain "the temporary suspension of new groundwater research , in conditioned water bodies and in the critical coastal area'.
The reuse of treated waste water will also continue and awareness campaigns will be promoted for the rational use of water, “aimed at the general population, economic agents and public entities”.
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