“According to the studies carried out by Águas de Portugal and which will be delivered for the environmental impact assessment, the place where we are going to propose the installation of the desalination plant is the municipality of Albufeira”, said the minister in parliament.

Duarte Cordeiro, who was speaking at a debate on water requested by the PSD, also revealed that the water efficiency plan for the Alentejo is ready and will be presented shortly.

This month, said Duarte Cordeiro, the Government will award the contract for the connection of the Alqueva to the Monte da Rocha reservoir, "with a view to guaranteeing the necessary volume of water for two years for public supply" in the reservoir.

The minister took stock of the measures taken against the drought and the optimisation of the water resource, after the Government was accused by the PSD, by deputy Bruno Coimbra, of just “waiting for it to rain”.

The deputy spoke of water losses of 30%, the “almost non-existent use of treated water”, activities that are conditioned by the lack of water, and accused the executive of not presenting measures for “a robust policy” for water.