“We have completed the reprogramming of the Sustainable Operational Program […], allowing the financing and co-financing of structuring projects for the country, among them […] the Algarve desalination plant, the Pomarão water intake, […] and the Pisão Dam, in the municipality of Crato [Alentejo],” said Maria da Graça Carvalho, in statements to Lusa news agency.

This reprogramming means that the European Commission has approved the proposal made in January to transfer funding for these three projects – considered “structural for the country” – from the Recovery and Resilience Programme (PRR) to the Climate Action and Sustainability Programme (Sustainable 2030), which is part of the Cohesion Fund.

The decision also includes support for several smaller projects, including interventions to strengthen connections between systems, increase water resilience and reduce water losses.

“Excellent news”

“This is excellent news for water resource management and for the advancement of the National Strategy ‘Water that Unites’,” highlighted the Minister of Environment and Energy.

The government official considers that among the most advanced projects is the Algarve desalination plant, “which already has all the necessary environmental authorizations”.

The Minister of the Environment had already stated in early October that the construction of the Algarve desalination plant would proceed, after the Administrative and Tax Court of Loulé rejected a precautionary measure filed by environmental associations to suspend the process.

According to Maria da Graça Carvalho, the infrastructure will be modular: the first module will produce 16 cubic hectometres (hm3) of water per year, and the second will increase capacity to 24 hm3, equivalent to about one-third of the Algarve's total annual consumption.

The construction of the desalination plant, located in the municipality of Albufeira and expected to be completed by the end of 2026, is part of the Algarve Regional Water Efficiency Plan, representing an investment of over 100 million euros.

“Although the dams are showing good storage levels this year, climate projections point to a progressive reduction in rainfall in the Algarve,” the minister reminded.

Security

Maria da Graça Carvalho emphasized that this investment guarantees “security in water supply for the next 25 years, both for human consumption […] and for economic activities such as tourism, industry, and agriculture.”

The minister stated that, for the first time, €60 million has also been allocated to the Cohesion Fund for flood prevention, allowing for co-financing of structural works in various regions, notably in the Lisbon Metropolitan Area, in municipalities such as Lisbon, Oeiras, Algés, and Barcarena, and also in the Algarve, in municipalities such as Faro and Albufeira.

“This amount, previously nonexistent in the program, represents a decisive step in adapting to climate change and mitigating flood risks,” she concluded.

In total, an additional €400 million has been secured for interventions in the areas of water and flooding, within the framework of the program's interim review, which runs until 2029.