Works will significantly expand water tower’s capacity
The municipal council of Lagoa has begun a major revamp of the Sesmarias water tower. The works, costing €2.5 million, are due to last one year and aim to modernise the water tower and expand its capacity dramatically from 600 cubic metres (m3) to 6,680 m3.
The project includes the demolition of two 250 m³ cells and one 100 m³ cell, replacing them with two new cells, each capable of holding 3,340 m³. These new cells will be interconnected via a newly constructed operations chamber, with pipeline diversions directed towards Boavista and Mato Serrão along the main road, says the local council.
The revamped water tower will be equipped with “state-of-the-art electrical and electromechanical systems”, including “electromagnetic flow meters, ultrasonic and hydrostatic level meters, floating-type level buoys, pressure transmitters, sodium hypochlorite dosers, a chlorine residual/pH monitoring system, LED lighting, and advanced pump groups with an electrical control panel and an emergency generator unit,” the municipal authority explains.
Constructed in the 1960s, the Sesmarias reservoir currently serves the Carvoeiro, Mato Serrão, and Sesmarias areas. However, water supply interruptions have become all too frequent, caused by “outdated adductor pipes and insufficient reserve capacity” and “sometimes lasting up to 12 hours”, much to the despair of local residents.
“With the new adductor pipe replacement and the comprehensive water tower upgrade, the municipality of Lagoa aims to eliminate these disruptions,” the council vows, stating that the “enhanced capacity and advanced technology will provide the reservoir with the ability to predict and prevent breakdowns, ensuring a continuous water supply even in the event of a rupture.” The increased storage will also offer “over 24 hours of autonomy, mitigating the impact of any potential supply interruptions,” it says.
Lagoa mayor Luís Encarnação says the project is “critical for our municipality. It will ensure there are no more water supply cuts when there is a rupture. Besides preventing the inconvenience of water outages, it will help reduce water loss”.
