Faial pilots EU project to restore brackish water supply

The island of Faial, in the Azores, is hosting a pilot project to restore groundwater quality by injecting rainwater into the salinised Cancelas borehole in Castelo Branco parish, according to Horta mayor Carlos Ferreira. The €300,000 initiative is fully funded by the EU-backed Genesis project, which aims to strengthen climate resilience of water infrastructure using nature-based solutions. More than 30 specialists are meeting in Horta for workshops and a site visit. If successful, the technique could be extended to other Azorean islands, Madeira, the Canaries and Cape Verde. Genesis runs from September 2024 to August 2028 with a budget of about €10.5 million.