en 
In measures to combat drought in the region the
Intermunicipal Community of the Algarve (AMAL) has announced the closure of
swimming pools and the end of ornamental fountains.
According to a statement from AMAL, the 16 mayors of the
Algarve decided to close the public municipal swimming pools during the month
of August and, eventually, the entire month of September (with the exception of
the pools open in the more inland territories).
The Intermunicipal Council also approved the closure of
ornamental fountains, the reduction of irrigation days and the stoppage of
irrigation of public green spaces with lawns reconverted by native species and
with lower water availability requirements.
In the note, the presidents of the Algarve municipalities
recall that “some of these measures are already on the ground and others will
be reinforced or implemented over the next few weeks, taking into account the
drought scenario that affects the region and which, in some cases, is extreme”.
The president of AMAL, António Miguel Pina, had already
warned of the serious situation of lack of water in the district, recalling
that “if the next hydrological year is the same, water may even become scarce
in the taps of the Algarve, in October 2023”.
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This is ridiculous!! What about the multiple golf courses, car washing facilities, water hungry avocado plantations, not to mention the waterparks! Nothing more than an empty gesture to ease the conscience of those same politicians, rather than tackle the real issue!
By Steve from Algarve on 17 Jul 2022, 11:22
That’s disappointing for all the local kids(and parents) that the swimming pools will be closed during a extremely hot summer.
But on the good side at least they can gather by the fence and watch rich tourists play golf on beautifully irrigated courses, and play over drinking water filled lakes.
Good lesson to remind them of their place in Portuguese society.
By Luc from Other on 17 Jul 2022, 11:36
Bearing in mind that people do NOT wash themselves before entering a public swimming pool, that people vomit and poo freely in public swimming pools, it is probably for the better that public open swimming pools are closed.
By k from Other on 17 Jul 2022, 13:12
Never mind the public one what about the private ones. What's good for public is good for private.!!!!!
By J from Lisbon on 17 Jul 2022, 17:17
Meanwhile the CM Odemira funnels irrigation water from Santa Clara lake through channels to farmland. Unused water gets dumped in sea at Odeceixe, because there's no return system.
And than the CM Aljezur, all rivers are dry. Except for the Aljezur river part at the bridge, which is filled up with tap water to keep the frickin ducks and turtles in town.
Than there is the municipal water piping network, leak as a siff. Plus the aforementioned golf courses. Plus the city council greens around the city halls.
Summed up its only logical to close the Municipal pools. Ha! Idiots!
By Olli B from Alentejo on 18 Jul 2022, 07:04
Portugal has less than 50 desalination plants. Israel over 2,000. African countries have hundreds. The real issue lies in the corrupt political class. Desalination plants are cheap, effective and water is renewable. Portugal borders on the frigging Atlantic Ocean! So why doesn't Portugal have hundreds, or even a thousand desalination plants, if this solution would be the most obvious and most beneficial for everyone? Politics.
By Hart from Lisbon on 18 Jul 2022, 08:24
WTF. Honestly makes no sense to penalise the residents and yet allow holiday makers to carry on as though their contribution to the drought doesn't exist. They use all the water in just the summer, flushing the loo, showering, swimming, washing etc that could be used by residents to survive all year. Clearly the biggest corruption in the tourism industry, Portugal is being damaged by bad water allocation, renovation and lack of respect for a much needed resource in order to combat desertification of our country.
By Angle from Algarve on 18 Jul 2022, 10:06
All of the comments are strikingly true; time to face facts - Portugal is a failed European state, run by a mob of incompetent, corrupt politicians (who are immune to the people's suffering and poverty, who are busy buying properties in Monaco and other tax free countries). Portugal survives backed up by EU funds, foreigners purchasing over-priced properties and money laundering. Closing down public swimming pools while so much water is being wasted is wrong. Not giving people the opportunity to do exercise is wrong. Telling people that there will be water cuts while the rich play on with manicured, green lawns and lakes filled with drinking water is wrong. Will Portugal have to wait until it completely defaults like Sri Lanka?
By K from Other on 18 Jul 2022, 12:00
YOU CAN do something about this and change the impending outcome! THIS WEEKEND get away from your computers and phones (they tranquilize us) and do what Americans did in the 60s to end the war that worked. ORGANIZE and hold large, PEACEFUL rallies (DEMONSTRATE) and have posters with the names of the officials that need to be held accountable. NOTIFY the press and keep demonstrating in shifts until CHANGE happens. VOTE them out and only ELECT people that are not politicians and support a DESALINIZATION PLANT BOOM as this drought situation will continue with Climate Change! YOU CAN DO IT; turn your anger into action. You pay for water with your taxes so be sure to protect TAP WATER. Put up flyers for a meeting, get out info. on Social Media; DO IT NOW and you'll be amazed how you can turn it around!
By Wes from Other on 19 Jul 2022, 04:39
In agreement with all comments above. It’s not only Portugal. The news of global warming is not news. Governments continue to put money into military rather then prepare for what they surely know is to come. Desalination is logical resolution but gee let’s make sure we keep spending trillions in armaments.
By Michele Silva from Lisbon on 19 Jul 2022, 09:32
There’s been heavy continuous Chemtrail planes spraying over portugal Algarve and Europe wide since last year 2021 June, we first noticed the many many planes at high altitude spraying poisons heavy metals, aliminum biocides arsenic barium and more, onto us the population, this spring bees have vanished, dead, grass dudntvfulky grow,nmany plants damaged, spain last year was first country to be forced to admit that planes are chemtrailing spraying poisons, the media and governments say nothing because they are in on it! Media and governments are controlled by world economic forum, klaus schwab, the drought in portugal is for sure a product of these geo engineering Chemtrail planes, it’s all part of the wef agenda 30 program! Depopulation of the earth! there’s no drought! It’s all engineered for agenda 21 wef communism
By Lawyer from Algarve on 19 Jul 2022, 20:17
someone's had a few too many chems here!
By João from Algarve on 20 Jul 2022, 11:43
I made a few comments about this and you didn't publish anything after reading some comments that this disgusting person ''By k from Other on 17 Jul 2022, 14:12 '' about the Portugal and Portuguese people I have the right that my comment should be published were also . Complete disgusted by your behaviour allowing someone saying this type of things and not allowing me to say anything says everything about your supposed newspaper
By Isabel Oliveira from Lisbon on 20 Jul 2022, 14:01