The Government approved the delimitation of protection perimeters for four groundwater catchments for public supply in the municipality of Santiago do Cacém. The decisions, published through ordinances in the Official Gazette, cover groundwater catchments located in Pouca Farinha, Catifarras, Foros do Corujo and Areal, establishing new areas subject to restrictions to safeguard water sources for human consumption.
The documentation identifies at least 605 inhabitants served by three of the four catchments: 479 inhabitants in Pouca Farinha, 58 in Catifarras and 68 in Foros do Corujo. The Areal catchment is also intended for public supply, but does not indicate the number of inhabitants it serves. The associated groundwater bodies present a Good Overall Status classification in the current cycle of the Sado and Mira River Basin Management Plan.
The perimeters now approved establish protection areas around the catchments, where restrictions now apply to prevent or limit activities that may pose risks of groundwater contamination. This delimitation is preventive in nature and aims to reduce contamination risks, conditioning activities and land uses that may compromise the quality of the sources used in public supply.
The published documentation does not establish any direct relationship between these measures and any recent supply or water quality problems in the municipality, nor does it allow conclusions about monitoring, network maintenance or service continuity, matters that depend on specific information from the entities responsible for catchment, treatment and water distribution.
