“The fact is that, in this situation, we have to take care of the future, and equipment like this takes time to be built and it is from this perspective that we continue with the project, which comes from behind, from the Algarve desalination plant”, stated Maria da Graça Carvalho.

In her response to deputies, the government official said that this type of equipment should be the “last resort”, listing the priorities in this matter: saving water, having fewer losses, reusing water, making good use of existing infrastructure, and increasing existing capacity.

“And only if all this is not enough should we go for a type of desalination plant, for several reasons”, highlighted Maria da Graça Carvalho, pointing out the environmental impacts inherent to this equipment, as well as its high cost, which “someone has to pay".

Even with water savings of between 10% and 20% in recent months, the Algarve is “already in a regime of permanent water scarcity”, highlighted the Minister of the Environment, adding that Spain has around 700 of these devices, but “not all of them work well”, while Malta solved its water shortage problem with this solution.

The construction of a desalination plant in the municipality of Albufeira, whose base value is 90 million euros, is one of the response measures to the drought affecting the southern region of Portugal, with the equipment expected to have an initial water conversion capacity from the sea in the potable capacity of 16 cubic hectometres.

According to Águas do Algarve, the company responsible for water supply in the region, which is responsible for managing infrastructure such as dams or Wastewater Treatment Plants, the work is scheduled to be completed by the end of 2026.

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