The Algarve Situation Report Wednesday 19th July 2023
by Mike Evans
Good Day to you all. We begin this report by reminding people that the water situation in the Algarve is still critical according to the authorities. The lack of water in the reservoir that provides much of the drinking water for the Algarve is still at a very low level and whilst many local councils are looking at many ways to preserve water the head of Aguas Do Algarve has recently signed an agreement to supply recycled water to the golf courses of Castro Marim Golfe & Country Club.
“The search for new water sources, such as recycled water production and desalination, is a priority to address the impacts of climate change in the Algarve, which result in less water in dams and aquifers. But in addition to increasing supply, we also need to reinforce actions to reduce consumption and promote water efficiency. Water scarcity is a global challenge, and action must be taken by all,” said António Eusébio, president of Águas do Algarve.
The agreement follows the completion of the first phase of a new infrastructure at the Vila Real de Santo António wastewater treatment plant, which enables the use of treated wastewater for irrigation at golf courses in the northern area of the municipality.
The project involved the installation of a chlorination disinfection system and the construction of a pumping station for treated wastewater, as well as the connection to two delivery points, namely Castro Marim Golfe and Quinta do Vale Golf.
With the supply of this recycled water by Águas do Algarve, Castro Marim Golfe & Country Club will replace approximately 450,000 cubic metres of water used in the irrigation and maintenance of its golf courses, ensuring a “better balance between water demand and availability.” “We are aware of the need to be increasingly sustainable due to climate change and water scarcity in recent years, so we have been totally committed to this project from the very beginning,” said David Martins, general manager of Algarvelux, SA, the company that manages the golf courses.
“We believe that the future lies here, and we want to be at the forefront, offering quality golf courses and promoting the Algarve as a destination,” he added.
Meanwhile, Seven Águas do Algarve works have opened their doors to the population
This initiative is part of the campaign “Water is life – Don’t waste it”. Seven facilities at Águas do Algarve will be open between the months of July and September to the entire population who want to visit the equipment, announced the company.
“If you’ve always wanted to know where the water that reaches your tap comes from, what treatments it undergoes and how wastewater is treated in the Algarve, then this is the perfect opportunity to learn a little more about the water that surrounds you,” he says in a statement.
This initiative is part of the campaign “Water is life – Don’t waste it”, by Águas do Algarve and the Portuguese Environment Agency , with the objective of “raising the population’s awareness of the need to reduce water consumption in order to promote practices that encourage its use efficient in the current context of drought and water scarcity”.
The dates are 12th of July – ETA Alcantarilha at 10:00 am
14th of July – WWTP Companhã at 10:00
19th of July – ETA Tavira at 10:00
21st of July – WWTP Faro Olhão at 10:00 am
July 21 – WWTP Almargem at 10:00 am
26th of July – ETA Alcantarilha at 10:00 am
July 27 – WWTP Albufeira West at 2:30 pm
August 2nd – ETA Tavira at 10:00 am
August 9 – ETA Alcantarilha at 10:00
August 10 – WWTP Albufeira West at 2:30 pm
August 16th – ETA Tavira at 10:00 am
August 17th – WWTP Faro Olhão at 10:00 am
August 23 – Companion WWTP at 10:00
September 14th – WWTP Faro Olhão at 10:00 am
September 14 – Odelouca Dam at 10:30 am
As we have said many times in the past Water is a precious commodity especially in the Algarve and we should all do what we can to preserve as much as possible.
Now look at some of the other news from around our Region.
British man dies in Albufeira hotel pool
A 27-year-old British man was found dead after presumably drowning this Tuesday afternoon at the Hotel Paraíso pool in Albufeira.
Authorities were alerted at 2pm after the man was found in the water in cardiac arrest.
Albufeira firefighters and INEM emergency services were dispatched to the scene and tried to revive the man, but to no avail. His death was declared on the spot.
According to national tabloid Correio da Manhã, the man was on holiday with his family in Portugal.
GNR police dismantle criminal network in Albufeira
GNR police have dismantled a criminal network in Albufeira believed to have committed multiple crimes such as extortion, thefts, drug trafficking and document forgery.
Five people – four men and one woman aged between 22 and 39 – have been arrested, with two being remanded in custody and the other three being released but required to report twice a week to the local police station.
The arrest followed an investigation into extortion and thefts in Albufeira which had been ongoing for three months and led to five arrest warrants, three house searches and five vehicle search warrants.
With this operation, GNR police believe they have “dismantled an important and structured network which operated in the region, mostly in the boroughs of Albufeira, Loulé, Faro and Portimão.
The operation also led to the confiscation of 4,693 doses of cocaine, 185 doses of hashish, 37 doses of MDMA (or ecstasy), 28 doses of cannabis, a firearm, 48 munitions and four mobile phones, as well as €1,000 in cash and a range of objects related to drug preparation and packaging. The police force also seized a gold chain, gold bracelet and three gold rings.
New digital platform to help combat and prevent agricultural thefts in Tavira
The platform is designed to gather information voluntarily introduced by landowners, such as location, area, type of crop cultivated and even the number of existing trees on each plot.
Last Wednesday, July 12, the municipality of Tavira presented a digital platform that identifies farmland owners and the type of crop planted on each plot to help prevent theft of agricultural produce such as carob.
The “Tavira + Segura” Platform was created by the municipality with the support of the GNR and the Regional Directorate of Agriculture of the Algarve. It is designed to “gather information voluntarily introduced by landowners, such as location, area, type of crop cultivated and even the number of existing trees on each plot”, explained the mayor of the municipality, Ana Paula Martins.
During the project’s presentation, held at the Álvaro de Campos Municipal Library in Tavira, Ana Paula Martins recalled that the existing Barrocal and mountain area in the municipality was, in the last year, significantly affected by carob thefts and the platform arose from the need to “answer this problem”.
Attending the presentation, the captain of the GNR, Serrano Galego, explained that, when registering, owners have access to a label with a number specifically created for the purpose that will give the security forces access to all the information regarding that location and will serve as a “dissuasive element” for perpetrators, as they also contain the emblems of the GNR and other partnering entities.
This tool also enables authorities to safely identify owners so that they can file complaints against anyone who steals carob and harvests it illegally.
With this number, the authorities know who the owner is, have access to contacts and geolocate the site, allowing faster access, but also to know at what stage harvest is, directing patrols to areas where fruit collection is yet to be carried out.
PSP special operation results in 10 arrests in Faro
The PSP detained 10 people and seized dozens of doses of narcotics in a special criminal prevention operation carried out last Friday, the 14th, in Faro, said that security force today.
According to a statement, during the operation “10 citizens were arrested, four for drug trafficking, five for driving under the influence of alcohol and one for driving without a legal licence”.
Four defendants were constituted and 17 identification documents were drawn up, and during the police action four nightlife establishments in the downtown area of Faro were inspected, with five administrative offence notices having been drawn up. On the other hand, the PSP seized 12 doses of cocaine, 129 doses of hashish and 12 doses of amphetamines, according to a note.
Man’s body found on the beach at Vale do Olival
The body of a man was found on the rocks of Vale do Olival beach, located in the municipality of Lagoa , on the morning of Sunday, July 16, announced the National Maritime Authority.
At around 08:06, the Lisbon Maritime Search and Rescue Coordination Center received an alert about the discovery of the body.
Elements of the Local Command of the Maritime Police of Portimão , teams from INEM and the Volunteer Firefighters of Lagoa were immediately called to the site. After the arrival of the authorities, the INEM doctor declared the death on the spot, having been transported to the Institute of Legal Medicine in Portimão by the fire department, after authorization by the Public Ministry.
The Portimão Maritime Police Local Command is investigating the occurrence to determine the circumstances of the death of the man found on the beach at Vale do Olival, which are still unknown.
Six people rescued from boat swept into the Arade River
Six people were rescued on Sunday, July 16, after the vessel they were on had problems with the propulsion system and went with the current towards an area of rocks on the Arade River, in Portimão, announced the National Maritime Authority .
Around 13:05 an alert was received through the Albufeira marina, and immediately the crew of the Ferragudo Lifeguard Station was activated.
Upon arriving at the location, the crew verified that all occupants of the vessel, four adults and two children, were physically well and did not require medical assistance.For safety reasons both for the crew and for navigation, the vessel was towed to the Portimão marina.
And Finally some Good News- Government to announce reduction in tolls on the A22 “very soon
The Minister for Territorial Cohesion said that, “very soon”, the Government will announce a program to reduce tolls on the former SCUT, including the A22 and admitted that the abolition can only be considered at the end of the concessions.
“This program is completed and its presentation is scheduled. I am responsible for part of the tolls [in the former SCUT] and, therefore, very soon, I will be able to answer all the questions: What is the toll reduction rate, on which vehicles and what reduction will it affect and when this reduction will start”, said Ana Abrunhosa, stressing that it is a “reduction, never abolition”.
Ana Abrunhosa stated that this is a reduction and explained that the abolition of tolls on the former SCUT (roads at no cost to the user) “is something that we can consider when the concessions are coming to an end”. “For now, it is a reduction that I think people will like”, he maintained.
The Minister of Territorial Cohesion admitted, in May, to having the feeling of being “always indebted” for still not having managed to reduce tolls on the former SCUT, but stressed that the ministries involved have been working on a proposal.
Ana Abrunhosa stated that the work being done takes into account “not only, in the proposal, the reduction of tolls on the ex-SCUT, but also on Via do Infante, which is also a promise”.
The minister also added that she expects the announcement of this reduction to take place in “less than a month”.
According to the official, “reducing tolls goes against what the decarbonization guidelines are”, but, she stressed, this decision “is only justified in these territories” in the interior because there are mobility and accessibility problems.
“For this reason, we included in the State Budget for 2023 a program that foresees not only reviewing the reduction [of tolls], but also improving the supply of public transport and promoting the use of electric vehicles”, he said. The No Costs for the User pathways were created in the late 1990s, during the Government of António Guterres.
The creation of these roads was controversial, as the burden of using them fell on the State, but, in 2010, the then Prime Minister, José Sócrates, introduced tolls on the SCUT concessions.
Until the next time, Have a safe and secure week.
Given the emphasis placed globally, including Portugal, on Climate change and disaster management, we felt that a dedicated Facebook group should be formed to help those who have properties in Portugal or just visiting, by providing a “focal point” of knowledge and advice with links to various experts and qualified sources, which is easy to access, as well as opportunities for group members to share with others their own experiences.
The 17 people suspected of belonging to a drug trafficking network that operated in the region and arrested on Wednesday, the 5th, in São Brás de Alportel, were held in custody, reported the GNR.
In numbers, this means that four more people drowned in the first three month period this year than last – the vast majority of them being men. Many of the accidents are as a result of the Rip Currents which we have mentioned many times on our Facebook and Website. The rip currents are one of the main causes of beach rescue. In the high season there have been many cases of people who have even died drowning in Portuguese beaches. It is a dangerous situation, but it can be avoided. In these situations it is important not to panic, or to swim against the current in the direction of land. It is an inglorious effort that causes people to exhaust themselves quickly. The best thing to do is to start swimming to the side and as soon as possible and if you are away from the rip current, try to catch a wave to land.
A seaweed originating in Asia has invaded the coasts of the western Algarve, with beaches where its accumulation has created a barrier 1.20 metres high.
The goal was to “ensure compliance with regulations and raise awareness about proper pet care”, the local council said in a statement to the press. A total of 17 dogs were checked on, leading to 28 infractions. The most common violations were the absence of mandatory electronic identification, or microchips, meaning that the dogs were not registered in the national pet animal information system (SIAC). Several dogs were also found to be roaming the streets unsupervised, which led to their owners being fined.
With the hot dry weather and a prevailing wind the chances of rural fires are very high, and a number of areas in the Algarve have been placed on the Red Alert, so again please make sure that if you see smoke or flames call 112. Don’t wait for someone else to do it.
The action of this police force, in coordination with the National Maritime Authority (AMN), took place “following a request for help from the captain of the ship, who, together with the rest of the crew, were being victims of serious threats against their lives and against the safety of the vessel”. In Portuguese territorial waters, the authorities carried out “a wide range of acts of collection of evidence on the vessel”, which allowed the “indictment of the commission of crimes of attack on the safety of transport by water, illegal introduction in a place closed to the public, aggravated threat and illegal stay in national territory”.