In 22 of Portugal’s hydrographic reserves, water availability corresponds to less than 40% of capacity, according to data to be presented this Friday by the Permanent Drought Commission and cited by the Jornal de Notícias. The recent heat wave -the worst, which occurred in July, since 1941- aggravated the situation of meteorological drought that plagues the country and in the Algarve there is even a dam that is at 12% of its capacity.
According to the analysis carried out by the Portuguese Environment Agency (APA), carried out on the 18th, reveals that in the last seven days the volume of reserves in 14 river basins fell – and in 39% of the 57 reservoirs the reserves were due to below 40%. The worst case is the Bravura reservoir, in Barlavento, which is at 12% even after its use in February was limited to human use.
The water shortage is already leading to the implementation of 78 water-saving measures on the ground. In the Algarve, in August, the municipal swimming pools will be closed and, in the northeast of Trás-os-Montes, several towns are being supplied by tanker trucks.
At the beginning of July, the Government assured that, despite the drought, the country has water for human consumption in the next two years, but admitted rationing in certain areas of the country, regarding some uses, such as agriculture.
Source: Observadora
