The Silves City Council rejected, at the meeting of the Association of Municipalities of the Algarve (AMAL) of February 2nd, the increase in water tariffs, having been “the only municipality to do so”, the Municipality announced this afternoon in a statement.
This municipality, the only one led by the CDU in the Algarve, considers that this is “a socially unfair measure that penalizes family income. Those who have more economic power would not stop paying and continue consuming».
Yesterday, the three mayors elected by the PSD, Rogério Bacalhau (Faro), José Carlos Rolo (Albufeira) and Francisco Amaral (Castro Marim), already they had also announced that they will not increase water tariff prices.
The Chamber of Silves, whose president is the communist Rosa Palma, highlights that «the drought and lack of water in the Algarve is not an unpredictable situation. Around 20 years ago, the desertification process was clear in the Alentejo and Algarve regions».
However, “there was no strategic planning, action plan or implementation of relevant investments. Successive governments have done nothing, and today, belatedly, in an extremely difficult scenario, they announce fundamental measures, which should already be implemented, drastic and disproportionate solutions, to temporarily solve the problem of the lack of water».
The municipality of São Paulo admits that, «in view of the scarcity of surface and underground water reserves, cuts in consumption are inevitable» and emphasizes that «immediate measures are urgently needed to lead to water savings, measures taken by public entities (government, local authorities), economic agents and populations, not treating those who are different equally».
For the Municipality of Silves, however, «given the economic and social importance of agriculture, as an element of food sovereignty, it is essential that the measures imposed do not endanger its survival and sustainable development».
The increases, approved by a majority by AMAL and which, apparently, will only be applied in Chambers with a socialist majority, will cause “increases of 15% in the 2nd tier, 30% in the 3rd tier and 50% in the 4th. th echelon. The 2nd consumption bracket covers the overwhelming majority of consumers.
In the opinion of the Chamber of Silves, «the path to saving water in the volume of human consumption (15%), which is absolutely necessary, essentially involves raising awareness and awareness among the population, in which we trust».
But it also involves, for example, «internal contingency plans and the decisive fight against water losses in the public supply network, using the technological equipment and devices already installed and functional throughout the municipality of Silves, which in good time, the municipality designed and applied for community funds».
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