Yet again, Albufeira’s iconic Praia da Falésia has been chosen, by Tripadvisor, as one of the world’s Top 10 beaches.
Tripadvisor is unlikely to be aware that in spite of this status, the Portuguese government has earmarked the popular beach to carry pipework to and from a planned desalination plant (a plan that is still being challenged through the courts).
Recently, environment minister Maria da Graça Carvalho ‘appealed to the people of the Algarve’ not to stand in the way of this infrastructure deemed ‘vital’ (by the government) for the water resilience of the region.
Since then, environmental lawyer Rui Amores has assured the minister that opposition to this plan will continue.
If the desalination plant does eventually move forwards (last estimate for its construction was in excess of €108 million, not all of which will be covered by European funding), Praia da Falésia, in all its glory, will also become known as the Algarve beach that disgorges thousands of litres of brine and associated byproducts of the desalination process – also known as ‘chemical sludge’ – into the sea, 24/7.
Source material: SIC Notícias
