Águas do Alto Alentejo submitted, between January and August, applications to Portugal 2030 worth approximately 9.4 million euros for the creation, renovation and modernization of networks, equipment and infrastructure of water supply and sanitation systems. The investment covers the ten municipalities that make up the intermunicipal company: Alter do Chão, Arronches, Castelo de Vide, Crato, Fronteira, Gavião, Marvão, Nisa, Ponte de Sor and Sousel. These applications follow on from an investment of over 11 million euros made by the company since 2022.
At the same time, a water efficiency project started at the end of 2024 is underway, with a planned investment of approximately six million euros over eight years. This initiative includes the installation of new metering and control equipment, the creation of Metering and Control Zones, the placement of Pressure Reducing Valves, the replacement of obsolete meters and the updating of the network registry, in addition to the strengthening of monitoring and telemanagement systems. The goal is to more precisely monitor flows and pressures, detect leaks and anomalies more quickly, and reduce the number of pipe bursts.
Since 2022, the implemented measures have made it possible to reduce unbilled water by approximately 18% and save approximately 414 thousand cubic meters of water, equivalent to about 166 Olympic swimming pools. Approximately 32,000 obsolete meters have also been replaced and more than 800 pipe bursts have been identified and repaired through active leak search actions. Águas do Alto Alentejo manages over 1,003 kilometers of distribution network, 49 water intakes and 150 water reservoirs, in addition to over 535 kilometers of sanitation collection network.
According to Rui Choças, the company's Director-General, a strategy of continued investment is being implemented, oriented not only toward solving current problems but also toward preparing the territory for the challenges of the coming decades. Águas do Alto Alentejo has been in operation since 2020, has its headquarters in Ponte de Sor and ensures the intermunicipal management of water supply and sanitation services in the ten covered municipalities.
