Portuguese dams currently present an average storage of 77%, representing a significant recovery of the country's water reserves. This situation contrasts with the drought affecting various European Union countries, where water scarcity problems persist.
The president of the Portuguese Environment Agency (APA), Pimenta Machado, stated that Portugal is in a more favorable situation than many European countries, considering that the country is well prepared for next year. In statements made in Bragança, on the sidelines of the signing of a protocol between APA and the municipality, Pimenta Machado stated that "we have no water to waste" and that Portugal is "very well prepared for next year".
The APA official highlighted that Portugal managed to counter the European drought scenario thanks to last winter, marked by several storms. According to Pimenta Machado, January and February brought heavy rain and flooding, but with a positive effect: the filling of the dams. In May, the reservoirs were "in the best situation ever", with an average storage of 92%.
The Algarve, a region particularly affected by water scarcity in recent years, is one of the examples of this recovery. Pimenta Machado cited the Bravura dam in the Algarve, which "Portuguese people know for not having water," as an example, and which was at 99% of its capacity in May.
