No new boreholes”: government announces measures to tackle drought in southern Portugal

Stopping the drilling of new boreholes and promoting the use of treated wastewater in agriculture and tourism are the main measures suggested by the Portuguese government to tackle the country’s state of drought which is particularly dire in the Algarve and Alentejo.

The announcement was made by the Minister of Environmental and Energetic Transition, João Pedro Matos Fernandes, at the end of an Interministerial Drought Commission meeting on November 20.

“This drought is a structural problem. We must change the way we consume water in Portugal,” he said.

Fernandes explained that the drought is much worse in the south of Portugal and that both the Ministries of Agriculture and Energy will take part in meetings with local councils and representatives of the agriculture and tourism sector, particularly from the golf industry, on Saturday, November 30 to discuss these issues.

To minimise the effects of the drought, particularly in the Algarve and Alentejo, the minister announced the suspension of “new groundwater boreholes in the south of the country”.

The government will also start promoting the use of treated wastewater for the irrigation of golf courses and agricultural lands. As Fernandes pointed out, it can also be used by local councils to clean the streets and water gardens.