A commission monitoring the effects of the drought will meet this Wednesday in Faro in the presence of the government, where it is expected to draw up a plan to limit water consumption in the Algarve, which is experiencing its worst drought on record.
The 18th meeting of the Permanent Commission for the Prevention, Monitoring and Monitoring of the Effects of Drought will be held today under the chairmanship of the Minister of Environment and Climate Action Duarte Cordeiro and the Minister of Agriculture and Food Maria do Seu Antunes from 2:30 pm at the headquarters of the Regional Commission for Drought coordination and development of the Algarve in Faro.
Among the proposals to combat the drought in the Algarve, solutions have been presented to mayors and other associations of the Algarve, especially in tourism and agriculture, that include reducing water consumption by about 70% for the agricultural sector and 15% for consumers.
Environment Minister Duarte Cordeiro acknowledged the situation was serious and said the government was considering reducing pressure, suspending second meters and even punishing those who use more water.
Regarding the agricultural sector, Duarte Cordeiro stressed the need to ensure the survival of agriculture by reducing the availability of water in the Odelite reservoir by 70% and in Funcho Arad by 50%.
A tender for a 16 million cubic meter desalination plant in the Albufeira area is expected to be launched this month.
For her part, Agriculture Minister Maria do Seu Antunes has already admitted that to minimize the drought situation, it would be possible to restore wells and use “small mobile desalination plants” in Algarve agriculture.
The measures have been contested by Algarve farmers and producers’ associations, as well as eastern Algarve irrigators, who say the planned water cuts are “unsustainable”, “unbalanced” and “unfair”.
After this Wednesday’s meeting, a resolution is due to be published that will consolidate all current decisions.
Author: Lusa
Source: CM Jornal
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