According to Sapo who cites the analysis carried out by DECO PROteste, data from the 16 municipalities in the region shows that half recorded high losses and 15 were below the minimum recovery levels for aging networks.

Lagoa, Lagos, Silves, São Brás de Alportel, Loulé, and Castro Marim are the top six of the Algarve municipalities that wasted the most treated water in 2022. Aljezur, Tavira, Alcoutim, Vila Real de Santo António, and Portimão are the municipalities that wasted the least amount of water.

Regarding the state of the networks, DECO PROteste highlights eight municipalities with an aging network (Aljezur, Lagoa, Lagos, Loulé, Olhão, Portimão, Tavira and Vila do Bispo), two without data (Silves and São Brás de Alportel) and only one with the recent network (Alcoutim).

The responsibility for water losses through the supply network lies with the management entities, which have not invested in rehabilitation or have invested little, states DECO PROteste.

According to recommendations from the Water and Waste Services Regulatory Authority (ERSAR), annual rehabilitation should be between 1.5 and 4% of the aging network.

It is important to note that data from 2022 reveals a waste across the continent of 162 million cubic meters of water that has already been treated and wasted throughout the distribution network.

“The scenario is very worrying”, considers Elsa Agante, head of Sustainability at DECO PROteste, cited in a statement. “The water lost in 2022 would be enough to meet 49% of the needs of families in a region heavily pressured by tourism and which has experienced periods of prolonged drought, which gave rise to a series of urgent, however, lightened measures”, she adds.