“I am convinced that the [Algarve tourism] sector will provide a response that meets the goals defined by the Government”, said André Gomes to Lusa agency.

The Portuguese Environment Agency (APA) should propose rules to reduce water consumption in the Algarve by 70% for the agricultural sector and 15% for urban consumers, revealed the president of the Intermunicipal Community, António Miguel Pina.

“All sectors are relevant, but, in fact, the one that will suffer the biggest impact from the measure will be agriculture”, acknowledged André Gomes.

The person responsible for Algarve Tourism highlighted that all subsectors linked to tourism “have done their work in recent years and will continue to take measures to reduce water consumption”.

Golf courses

With regard to golf courses, which are normally associated with large water consumption, André Gomes said that they already suffered a 40% cut last July, but assured that the investments made in recent years will continue to allow for a reduction in the use of water.

The president of Algarve Tourism stated that four golf courses are currently connected to water production systems for reuse (ApR) and the expectation is that this number will rise to 12 in 2027 and to 32 in 2030.

Golf courses are also increasingly using plants adapted to water scarcity, with systems to water only what is strictly necessary and in the required quantity, among other measures that have been implemented, such as watering carried out exclusively at night.

The accommodation subsector (hotels and local accommodation) has also, according to André Gomes, done its “homework”, having taken water efficiency measures in the last 2-3 years, such as, for example, the installation of reducers of flow in taps or the reduction of irrigated areas.

“Increasingly, we also have tourists who are more responsible and aware of the need to save water”, said the person responsible for Algarve tourism.

André Gomes recalled that the problem of lack of water in the Algarve is “a reality that the region has been dealing with for a long time” and praised the fact that the issue is being discussed with the “involvement” of all sectors and “between all entities” in the region.

No surprise

“This pre-announcement of the measures” that should be taken is not a surprise, said the president of Algarve Tourism.

APA hopes to present a contingency plan with new water consumption rules in the Algarve this month, which is going through the worst drought on record.

APA vice-president José Pimenta Machado admitted on Monday that the contingency plan will penalize agriculture more, but the quotas were not yet defined and will be coordinated with local actors.

“This year, in the Algarve, we are going through the worst drought ever, we have never been in this situation, with the lowest levels of reservoir reserves ever and the same thing in groundwater”, a “consequence of ten years of drought” continued, said Pimenta Machado.

“The priority use is human use and agriculture will have a greater cut”, added Pimenta Machado.

The six reservoirs in the Algarve are at 25% of their capacity, 20 percentage points less than in the same period last year, with a total of 90 cubic hectometers less water.

Some of the measures planned to combat the drought in the region are to make seawater drinkable, through the first large desalination plant for the Albufeira area, with a capacity of 16 million cubic meters, and the transfer in Sotavento, with a connection between the Pomarão and Guadiana.

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