The rehabilitation works on Rua das Flores, in Praia do Carvoeiro, will only be ready in early August, said the mayor of Lagoa to the Sul Informação.
Work on this street that gives access to Algar Seco, the walkways and the chapel in Carvoeiro began on the 2nd of May and should have been completed by the beginning of June.
«That was the expectation and that was the deadline that was in the work», admits the mayor Luís Encarnação.
Only, he added, «as soon as the work began, the contractor warned us that the machinery he would use would be liable to damage or even break the pipe» of water that extends along the street. «And we had to take the opportunity to replace that conduct».
The structure installed on Rua das Flores, said the mayor, «wasn't the worst, nor was it one that had the most incidents of rupture, but, these days, with this greater attention to wasting water, we took advantage of it and replaced it soon».
In an investment of over 40 euros, Luís Encarnação hopes that, in accordance with the deadline for this new work (three weeks), the refurbishment of Rua das Flores will be completed «by the end of July».
But he admits that the company that won the work is «small and somewhat limited» in terms of staff, which may not bode well for meeting this new deadline.
The urban requalification intervention in Praia do Carvoeiro will then continue in Rua das Amoreiras, very close by. But, underlined Luís Encarnação, «only when we finish the works on this Rua das Flores will we move to the other one», even to guarantee car circulation.
As for the fact that the works are taking place during the summer, the mayor from Lagos stresses that «we have no other choice, it really has to be».
Last May, when the works began, the Municipality of Lagoa had already explained that «the contracting procedure for the requalification of these two streets was launched in May 2022 and had the beginning of October 2022 as the scheduled date for the start of works».
However, «in view of the current market situation, with the inflation of the price of materials, the scarcity of raw materials, and the lack of manpower on the part of private companies, it was not possible to start the intervention on the initially scheduled date».
Luís Encarnação warned, in his statements to the Sul Informação, that more works are coming in the summer, «inevitable». «We have three very important works, related to water, which are in the final report phase, which is the replacement of the three main water mains, and these works will be taking place during the next summer».
«We are unable to stop or suspend the works during the summer, for now because the summer is getting longer, the high season extends longer and longer. If we are going to suspend works during the summer, we will have a very short break to do them», explained the mayor.
Then, «we have the contingency of the companies themselves, of their difficulties in manpower and material».
′′ We're going to have to take advantage of every opportunity. I am already issuing this alert because, if all goes well, in September/October we will start work on the three pipelines and I don't know if next summer they will all be finished", he added.
«The works have to be carried out – the replacement of the water pipes, which have not been touched for 40 years, is one of the major problems that we have in the municipality and that we are now in a position to solve, with funds from the PRR. We cannot miss this opportunity! », he concluded.
Photos: Elisabete Rodrigues | Sul Informação
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