Citizens have until July 23 to weigh in
The Algarve’s desalination plant project is undergoing public scrutiny once again. A fresh public consultation period has just been launched on the latest version of the project’s execution plan, giving citizens until July 23 to speak up.
The plant, which aims to secure a new source of water in the drought-prone region, involves pulling seawater from the coast, purifying it, pumping it into the Algarve’s drinking water network, and returning the concentrated salt brine back to the ocean. It is a project defended by government officials as absolutely vital for the security of the Algarve’s water supply, but decried by environmentalists as damaging and unnecessary, even leading to the lodging of a number of judicial challenges.
In the project’s non-technical summary, which can be consulted online (search for RECAPE.VOLUME I – RESUMO NAO TECNICO on the online public consultation page), several changes are announced compared to the version of the project initially presented during the first environmental assessment.
Pipeline routes were adjusted to avoid slicing through farmland and reduce the footprint on the National Agricultural Reserve (REN), while a less invasive construction method was chosen for the intake and brine pipelines – effectively meaning less digging, less noise, and less mess, and posing less risks to cliffs.
Meanwhile, the degasification chamber (basically the project’s deep-sea starting point) was relocated farther from fragile cliff zones and protected pine groves. Even the access roads got a safety upgrade – acceleration and deceleration lanes were added, all within existing road boundaries to avoid extra environmental damage.
Lastly, one potential conflict popped up when the project overlapped with an Albufeira City Council plan for a new parking lot. However, both sides came together to rework the design – preserving most of the parking space and the iconic stone pines in the area, the non-technical summary states.
The online public consultation page can be found at www.participa.pt by searching for ‘RECAPE Projeto de Execução Estação de Dessalinização de Água do Mar do Algarve’.
