Impacts: 1
The Portuguese government will ration water in the drought-stricken tourist region of the Algarve (south), with the aim of reducing groundwater use by 15%.
“In the Odeleite and Beliche reservoirs, the use of water for agriculture and golf courses will be reduced by 20%,” Portuguese Environment Minister Duarte Cordeiro declared Thursday afternoon after a meeting of the drought management commission.
In the event that the gardens or golf courses have water reuse systems, this reduction will rise to 50%.
The government also announced the creation of a working group dedicated to the Algarve’s water resources, made up of members of the Portuguese Environment Agency (APA) and the General Directorate of Agriculture, to review the authorizations for water withdrawal in the region.
According to the government, 36% of Portugal is currently suffering from severe or extreme drought, especially in the Alentejo and Algarve regions in the south of the country.