The Commission for Hydroagricultural Sustainability of the Alagarve (CSHA) admitted, this Monday, an update of the cuts in water consumption, imposed by the previous Government, but warned that it “will only accept equal cuts” for all sectors in the region.
In a statement, released on the eve of the meeting of the Southern Zone Regional Subcommittee of the Albufeiras Management Commission, to assess the situation of water resources in the Algarve, the CSHA indicated that “the forecast for surface water storage in the basins has already been exceeded. of the Algarve”, with the region “having sufficient water levels for the coming years”.
“Taking into account that a justification was never presented for the difference between the cuts for agriculture and the other sectors […]CSHA will only accept what it has always defended, a cut in water consumption of 15% for all sectors”, added CSHA, which represents more than 1000 producers, operators and associations in the Algarve agricultural sector.
The Commission also said that it hopes that at the meeting next Tuesday, where the main agents linked to water use will be present, the cut values in force since January, 15% for the urban sector and tourism, will be updated. and 25% for agriculture.
“We also expect that, at this meeting, a proposal will be presented for groundwater management legislation that allows the creation of associations of installed producers and users of each aquifer”, explains the note.
The CSHA expressed that it “would like to hear” the Portuguese Environment Agency (APA) announce the increase in the volume of water, to be transferred from the Funcho dam to the Arade dam, in the western Algarve.
This measure, as explained in the note, has been requested by the Associação Regantes de Silves, Lagoa and Portimão, which needs water so that agriculture in that irrigation perimeter can carry out this campaign with a 15% cut, requiring five hectometers cubic meters of Fennel water”.
“We believe that only by implementing these measures will it be possible to contribute to the sustainable management of water resources and guarantee the efficient supply of water to agriculture, priorities assumed by this Government”, concludes CSHA.
The meeting of the Regional Subcommittee of the South Zone of the Reservoir Management Commission, which should take place this Tuesday, precedes the meeting of the Permanent Commission for Prevention, Monitoring and Follow-up of the Effects of Drought, which should take place until May 10th, in Faro.
This meeting will be chaired by the Ministers of Environment and Energy, Maria da Graça Carvalho, and Agriculture and Fisheries, José Manuel Fernandes, where new decisions on the management of water resources in the Algarve will be coordinated.
