Water Crisis in Portugal's Almada Municipality: Nighttime Water Cut Off in Six Regions

The municipality of Almada, located in the Setúbal district of Portugal, announced that water cuts would be implemented during nighttime hours in six different regions due to a severe water crisis. According to a statement from the municipality, water supply services in the regions of Feijó, Laranjeiro, Vale Flores, Barrocas, Cova da Piedade, and Chegadinho will be completely suspended from Friday at 22.00 until Saturday morning at 06.00. In a joint statement made by the Almada Municipality and Almada Water and Sanitation Services (SMAS), it was stated that the water cut was initiated to re-establish the region's water reserves. It was expressed that the resumption of water supply would be done gradually, and therefore, there might be differences in the time it takes for the water to reach the tap across different regions. This situation has brought about concerns that local residents will be left without water during the night hours.

The consecutive water cuts in recent days have caused serious problems, especially in the Costa da Caparica region. The activation of a contingency plan by the Almada Water and Sanitation Services (SMAS) on Tuesday and the creation of a crisis desk reveal the scale of the problem. While nighttime water cuts were implemented in regions such as Trafaria, Raposeira, and Porto Brandão on Thursday, many neighborhoods, including Charneca da Caparica, Aroeira, and Vila Nova da Caparica, were left without water on Wednesday. These comprehensive and consecutive cuts clearly indicate that a major crisis is being experienced in water management across the municipality. Citizens are being warned to continuously monitor water resources and take precautions.

The Mayor of Almada, Inês de Medeiros, officially declared a 'warning state' in the municipality on Wednesday and began exercising her authorities. During this warning state, severe restrictions were put into practice aiming to limit water consumption and preserve water solely for domestic use and essential services for the population. The bans introduced include all non-domestic water uses such as watering parks and private gardens, maintaining golf courses, washing vehicles, filling swimming pools, and washing facades. Furthermore, all aesthetic water expenditures, such as the use of showers at beaches and the operation of decorative fountains, have been completely stopped. These comprehensive measures are considered strict actions taken to efficiently manage existing water resources and meet the critical drinking water needs.

In a statement made by the municipality, it was noted that this extraordinary situation is caused by a massive and unprecedented increase in water consumption. Two significant events, 'Trafaria Com Prova' and 'Solar Com Vida', have been postponed indefinitely due to this warning state. Additionally, starting from Saturday, many municipal sports facilities in Almada will operate with access restrictions. Despite all these adversities, the municipality pledged to meet the water needs of critical infrastructures such as hospitals, health centers, nursing homes, and fire departments. It is planned to maintain water distribution to these institutions, supporting it with alternative methods such as water tankers if necessary. By working in close coordination with neighboring municipalities, it is aimed to keep all available intervention capacities at the maximum level.

Meanwhile, permanent solutions to the water crisis were discussed at a critical meeting held between the Portuguese Minister of Environment and the Mayor of Almada on Thursday. Officials from the Portuguese Environment Agency, Águas de Portugal, EPAL, and SMAS also attended the meeting, ensuring the issue was addressed at a national level. Following the meeting, the Minister of Environment announced the good news that a new water extraction well would be operationalized by the weekend, increasing the system's capacity by approximately 20 percent. The Minister also stated that they expect the current water restrictions and shortages in Almada to be completely resolved within one to, at the latest, three weeks. Authorities stated their belief that these steps will return the water pressure in the region to normal and end the nighttime cuts.