Regional water company Águas do Algarve has unveiled a new €74 million investment plan to further strengthen the region’s water resilience.
Three projects worth more than €32 million have already been approved. The first, a €6.2 million upgrade to the Paderne Wastewater Treatment Plant and Purgatório Pumping System, will serve around 5,000 residents and ensure compliance with strict national and EU water quality standards, the company says.
The second, a €21.8 million expansion of Loulé’s public water supply system, will improve access to safe drinking water in rural areas, reduce system losses, and increase resilience to drought through network interconnections and modern, water loss-reducing materials.
The third, a €4.5 million smart integrated management system, will focus on automation, simulation tools, real-time data, and artificial intelligence to enhance operational efficiency, energy use, and resource optimisation across the region’s water infrastructure.
A further €7.7 million project is under review, focusing on the rehabilitation of underground water abstractions – a key measure outlined in the government’s Resolution No. 26-A/2024 to combat the Algarve’s persistent drought. The initiative aims to reinforce backup water sources and prevent potential shortages in public supply during critical dry periods.
Looking ahead, Águas do Algarve is preparing four additional project applications worth around €34 million. These include a major interconnection between the western and eastern Algarve (€11.5 million), the modernisation of the region’s multi-municipal water system (€5.3 million), new and upgraded wastewater treatment plants in Lagoa, Mexilhoeira da Carregação, and Albufeira (€15 million), and a solar drying facility (€2.3 million).
“These investments represent an ambitious and integrated vision for the future of the region – one where technological innovation, energy efficiency and natural resource protection walk side by side,” Águas do Algarve says in a statement.
“At a time when the Algarve is facing one of its largest challenges ever when it comes to water availability, worsened by climate change and lack of rainfall, we want to reinforce our commitment to investment, innovation and environmental sustainability,” it adds.
Águas do Algarve says that its new investment plan is in line with the goals of the 2020 Regional Operational Program and follows a series of key projects that it has launched to bolster the Algarve’s public water supply, the efficiency of its system and the protection of its aquatic ecosystems.
“Our priority is clear: ensuring water for everyone, today and tomorrow,” the company adds.
