The municipality of Albufeira is investing in the detection and repair of runs in the public water distribution network. Since the end of 2024, it has been developing a project in partnership with the Environmental Fund and the Portuguese Environment Agency, under a protocol signed between the three entities, which aims to promote active escape control.
This project includes the implementation of teams and means for detecting and repairing the low distribution network, with fund funding up to the amount of 85,000 euros.
The president of, José Carlos Rolo, stresses that “due to the drought situation in the Algarve was essential and urgently pondering solutions to mitigate the lack of water in the region.”
In this sense, the municipality has implemented several measures, including the closure of ornamental sources, the pool closure, the suspension of the watering counters, the restructuring of landscaping spaces, replacing species of high water consumption with indigenous plants more adapted to the local climate , the implementation of gout watering systems, the installation of pressure meters for monitoring, optimizing the water supply from the public for the irrigation, and the requalification and use of centuries -old hydraulic infrastructures of watering (wells and daughters) for other purposes , such as washing of pavements and containers of urban solid waste.
In February 2024, a resolution of the Council of Ministers determined to support the municipalities of the Algarve and the respective management entities of the water supply service, up to the overall amount of 1.5 million euros, with 100% funding through the Environmental Fund . This financing prioritizes interventions intended for the active control of escapes and the rehabilitation of existing public funding.
Following the signing of the said technical and financial collaboration protocol, a protocol management committee was constituted, composed of representatives of the three entities, with the mission of monitoring and monitoring its execution, highlighting the evolution of the work and the proposal of Measures necessary for its compliance.
José Carlos Rolo states that “water losses represent a huge challenge for public water supply systems, compromising the environmental and financial sustainability of municipalities”. To solve the problem, the municipality has launched a public tender aiming at active leakage research using geophones – high -sensitivity and accuracy equipment.
The service, performed by a team that specializes in leakage detection using acoustic geophone, performs the inspection and mapping of the network, identifying the priority areas for leakage research, based on information provided by the network management system. After georeferencing of locations with any leakage, the escapes detected is described, including the exact location, the severity of the escape and the type of floor in which it occurs. The provision of the service lasts 10 months or up to the limit of 74,200 euros.
The mayor points out that “the adoption of these measures is a priority, since it contributes to the reduction of losses and the improvement of water efficiency” of an eminently tourist county, which in the summer “sees in arms” with an exponential increase in consumption of consumption Water, having therefore to safeguard the implementation of a reliable system and as many escapes as possible.
The Environmental Fund aims to support environmental policies for the pursuit of sustainable development objectives, contributing to the fulfillment of national and international designs and commitments, namely those relating to climate change, the energies of renewable sources and energy efficiency, water resources, waste residues, waste , the conservation of nature and biodiversity, the well-being of the animals of company, the forest and forest management, the planning and management of the landscape, financing entities, activities or projects that fulfill the objectives set.
Also read:
