Background
The Algarve Multi-Municipal Water Supply and Sanitation Systems are one of the most important investments made in the past thirty years in the Algarve with regard to sustainable, economic and environmental development, technical diversity and complexity and the dimensions and extent of the investment.
The early stages of the Algarve – 8 years ago – before the Systems appeared -
Until the Algarve Multi-Municipal Water Supply System came into operation, this Region contended with qualitative and quantitative problems concerning public water supply, whose origin is almost exclusively underground. People’s quality of life and economic activities, with emphasis on tourism, were strongly limited.
Underground water resources, despite their scarcity and until the construction of the Multi-municipal System, supplied most of the resident and temporary population, as well as agriculture, due to the considerable amount of water already required at the time for irrigation purposes.
The pressure exerted by the growing search for water was so strong that production decreased and the quality of the water supplied dropped considerably in many aquifers as a result of the over-exploitation to which they were submitted, especially during consecutive dry years. There were many reasons for the latter, especially saline intrusion that led to a sharp increase in chloride content in areas close to the sea as well as widespread pollution as a result of intensive agricultural activities.
Characterisation of the situation in the Region before the introduction of the Multi-municipal Water Supply System
- 16 Management Entities;
- Over 170 public collections;
- Obsolete treatment processes that are difficult to control;
- Over-exploitation of Aquifers;
- Underground collection points that dried up frequently;
- Saline intrusion;
- Excess Chloride in the water;
- Excess Nitrates – situations of (NO3 > 500 mg/l);
- Very hard water – High carbonate incrustation;
- Very limited development.
Establishment of the Company
Águas do Algarve SA was a result of the merging of two Companies, Águas do Barlavento Algarvio SA and Águas do Sotavento Algarvio SA.
Águas do Barlavento Algarvio was established according to Decree-Law no. 136/95 of the 12th June and it was jointly owned by Águas de Portugal, IPE-Capital and the municipalities of Albufeira, Lagoa, Lagos, Portimão, Silves, Vila do Bispo and Loulé. The Company was responsible for the concession contract for the Barlavento Algarvio Multi-municipal Water Collection, Treatment and Supply System.
Águas do Sotavento Algarvio was established according to Decree-Law no. 130/95 of the 5th June and it was jointly owned by Águas de Portugal, IPE-Capital and the municipalities of Castro Marim, Faro, Loulé, Olhão, São Brás de Alportel, Tavira and Vila Real de Santo António. The Company was responsible for the concession contract for the Sotavento Algarvio Multi-municipal Water Collection, Treatment and Supply System.
Os Sistemas Multimunicipais de Abastecimento de Água do Sotavento e Barlavento Algarvio, foram inaugurados em Janeiro de 1999 e Fevereiro de 2000, respectivamente, sendo um projecto com objectivos muito claros, visando aplicar a uma situação regional específica as mais recentes concepções e práticas de tratamento e adução de água para consumo humano, com a qualidade exigida legalmente.
Águas do Algarve, S.A. is created in August 2000 as a result of a merger between these two Companies and is concessionaire for a period of 30 years of the Algarve Multi-municipal Water Supply and Sanitation Systems, which covers all 16 counties in the region and supplies 450 thousand inhabitants during the low season and around a million and a half during the high season. This includes water treatment and distribution and treatment of household wastewater. The company’s main aim is to supply enough quality drinking water all year round and to equip our Region with a safe system in terms of public health, improving levels of assistance and promoting environmental quality, more specifically the quality of the water of the Algarve’s beaches and rivers, which is an essential factor for the well-being of the population and for developing the Region’s economy and tourism.
Later on, as Águas do Algarve, S.A., the municipalities of Aljezur and Monchique joined the Multi-municipal Water Collection, Treatment and Supply System for the Barlavento Algarvio and the municipality of Alcoutim joined the Sotavento Algarvio System.
The commissioning of the Sotavento and Barlavento Algarvio Multi-municipal Supply Systems at the end of 1999, respectively, led to a significant improvement in the quality of the water, which started to be supplied on a regular basis all year round.
With the creation of the Algarve Multi-municipal Sanitation System, according to Decree-Law no. 167/2000, the Company was granted its operation and management, as per Decree-Law no 172/B.2001, of the 26th May, and a 30-year Concession Contract was signed between the Portuguese Government and the Company on the 26th May 2001.
On the 8th November, upon publication of Decree-Law no. 285/2003, the Algarve Multi-municipal Water Supply System was created as a result of the consolidation of the Barlavento and Sotavento Systems.
On the 7th February, the Concession Contract for the Algarve Multi-municipal Water Supply System was signed between the Portuguese Government and Águas do Algarve, S.A., as a result of the consolidation of the two Barlavento and Sotavento Algarvio Systems.
Construction of the Odelouca Dam – System Sustainability
December 2006 – It became a part of the AdA Concession
The Odelouca Dam project is aimed at ending the significant lack of water resources in a region that is extremely vulnerable to pressure on the availability of these resources. It was constructed essentially for reasons of acknowledged public interest related to sustained, quantitative and qualitative public water supply management and to the regional development of the Algarve.
The Odelouca Dam is the main project of the Primary System (collection and transport of untreated water) of the Barlavento Algarvio Multi-municipal Water Supply System, of which the western counties of Loulé, Albufeira, Lagoa, Silves, Portimão, Lagos, Vila do Bispo, Aljezur and Monchique form a part. The time foreseen for the construction of this dam, which began in January 2007, is 40 months.
The construction of this Dam is aimed at increasing the reliability of the Multi-municipal Supply System, through reversible Pumping Stations, seeing that supply to Sotavento may be reinforced if necessary and/or in an emergency.
Environmental Component of the Project
Seeing that the Odelouca Dam and Lagoon are situated in the Natura Network, the implementation of a wide range of Minimisation, Compensation and Over-Compensation measures was defined for the community.
Environmental project setbacks:
- 46 Minimisation measures;
- 15 Compensation measures;
- 7 Monitorings;
- 4 Complementary studies;
- Global Environmental Management System and several PGAs;
- Over-compensation for the Iberian lynx.
In general, compensatory measures include the following aspects:
> Iberian Lynx
The filling of the Odelouca Dam shall interfere with forest habitats including cork oak groves, multi-purpose agro-forestry systems, Mediterranean bushland and riparian formations. The Iberian Lynx is a species that is closely related to the Mediterranean landscape depending on a mosaic of well-developed Mediterranean bushland and scrubland, alternating with pastures and fallow areas, which the feline uses to hunt rabbits, which are its favourite prey.
Considering these facts, the compensation strategy outlined for the lynx is based on four fundamental axes:
- Installation of an Iberian Lynx reproduction in captivity centre;
- Encouragement of Wild rabbit populations;
- Recovery and maintenance of habitats;
- Monitoring of the Iberian Lynx.
With regard to the Environment, the creation of a National Reproduction in Captivity Centre for the Iberian Lynx seems to be the measure most likely to be fulfilled with regard to compliance with the tight schedule defined for its implementation.
> Bird Fauna (Bonelli Eagle)
The main aim of the compensatory measures foreseen for Bird Fauna is to compensate the loss of habitats to birds of prey and benefit populations of these birds around the Odelouca lagoon, with special emphasis on the Bonelli Eagle, which is considered a preservation priority in the community, in accordance with the Bird Guidelines. This species is in danger of extinction in Portugal according to the Red Book of Vertebrates of Portugal.
3 projects are associated with these habitat restoration projects:
- Herdade da Parra habitat restoration project;
- Funcho habitat restoration project;
- Sapeira habitat restoration project.
> Ichthyofauna
Ichthyofauna is one of the groups most affected by the construction of the Odelouca Dam and the filling up of the respective lagoon due to the transformation of lotic systems currently existing in the lagoon’s lentic eco-system and due to the lack of lotic continuity in the Odelouca stream.
The compensation strategy outlined is mainly composed of four intervention groups:
- Performance of a detailed study on the ecology and biology of endemic cyprinids of the Arade basin;
- Recovery of Habitats affected by the construction of the dam;
- Construction of an experimental Pilot Station;
- Monitoring of the fish community.
> Riparian Gallery
Considering that a large part of riparian galleries at the Odelouca stream shall be destroyed with the filling up of the lagoon, these impacts are to be compensated through selecting, recovering and reclassifying sections of the riparian gallery.
- Reclassification of the Riparian Gallery of the Odelouca Stream and River Arade Basins;
- Monitoring programme for riparian galleries.
Reforesting of the Herdade da Parra and Sapeira that belong to the Portuguese Government and the Herdade das Santinhas – AdA.
