Almada’s reservoirs hit 10% as reuse shows promise

Portugal’s water challenge spans emergency restraint, leaking networks and potential reuse. Almada banned garden watering, car washing and pool filling after its reservoirs fell to 10% of capacity. DECO says Portugal has lost around 2 billion cubic metres of treated water through leaks since 2013, and is calling for network renewal and reuse. A UTAD-led pilot adds evidence for that second option. No health risks or residues were found in wine from vines irrigated with treated wastewater. The energy stories also turn on location and local acceptance. Castelo Branco opposes Eurowind’s €1.2 billion project near Serra da Gardunha and prefers rooftop solar to development in open country. A new law makes self-consumption simpler and lets buildings approve solar panels by simple majority. Greenvolt’s projects for three shopping centres show how existing roofs can supply power mainly for use on site, while avoiding carbon dioxide emissions. Ecological repair sits beside immediate loss. The fire that began in Vouzela destroyed the 24-hectare Cambarinho Botanical Reserve and burned more than 15,000 hectares across several municipalities. Homes, farmland and livestock were also lost. The ICNF’s draft restoration plan proposes 407 interventions, including targets to restore 260 square kilometres and establish three million trees each year. It remains open for consultation until 19 August. In Peniche, a locally developed technology uses modular laboratories to triple the growth of marine algae forests, helping to restore degraded underwater ecosystems.