The Portuguese Government is studying a technical solution to strengthen the water resilience of the South Bank of the Tagus territories, using surface sources from Castelo de Bode and the Tagus river. The decision was published in an order in the Official Gazette.
Currently, water supply in the region depends mainly on the Tagus-Sado aquifer system, but the diploma states that the high dependence on a single source constitutes a strategic vulnerability factor, exposing the region to increased risks.
The order refers to the recent problems experienced in Almada in July, where the population suffered persistent and prolonged water cuts, as proof of the need to strengthen supply systems. The region hosts several economic, industrial, logistical and service activities whose continuity depends on reliable water systems.
The document also justifies that the demographic and economic evolution of the South Bank points to an increase in water needs in the coming decades, particularly due to the creation of the new Luís de Camões Airport and the associated urban, housing and logistical expansion. This scenario is aggravated by the worsening of climate change, which makes water availability more unpredictable.
