Water security remains key concern for Algarve despite improved reservoir levels

Recent rainfall has brought welcome relief to the Algarve, helping to replenish reservoirs and significantly improve water reserves after several years of drought. However, regional authorities, environmental organisations and water experts warn that long-term water security remains one of the Algarve’s most pressing challenges.

The region has experienced successive years of below-average rainfall, prompting the government to impose restrictions on water consumption in agriculture, tourism and urban areas. Although reservoir levels are now substantially higher than they were during the drought conditions of 2023 and 2024, concerns remain over the impact of climate change, population growth and increasing demand for water.

The Portuguese government continues to regard the Algarve desalination plant, planned for Albufeira, as a key component of its long-term water resilience strategy. The project forms part of a wider package of measures that also includes improvements to water distribution networks, wastewater reuse schemes and efforts to reduce losses in public supply systems.

However, as reported widely by The Resident, the desalination project remains the subject of legal and environmental controversy.

In April, an injunction filed by Seacliff, the former owner of land expropriated for the project, resulted in a court-ordered suspension of construction works after proceedings were lodged with the Administrative and Fiscal Court of Loulé. The injunction challenged the administrative acts underpinning the project and temporarily halted construction after the Portuguese Environment Agency (APA) and Águas do Algarve were formally notified.

The desalination project has also attracted opposition from fishermen, environmental groups and local campaigners, including Albufeira mayor Rui Cristina. As The Resident reported, critics argue that the current plan requires a new environmental impact assessment and have raised concerns about the potential effects of brine discharge on marine ecosystems, fisheries and coastal biodiversity. Support for these concerns has come from several organisations, including fishermen’s associations and the Portuguese Sustainable Water Platform (PAS).

PAS advocates greater investment in reducing water losses, restoring aquifers, improving efficiency and expanding wastewater reuse rather than relying primarily on large-scale infrastructure projects.

However, government officials maintain that desalination will provide a strategic safeguard against future droughts.

Preparing for the future

The Algarve’s water challenge remains closely linked to the region’s economic model. Tourism, agriculture and a growing resident population all place increasing pressure on available resources. The region continues to attract international residents, retirees, remote workers and investors, adding further demand to water supplies.

With another summer approaching, authorities continue to urge residents, businesses and visitors to use water responsibly. While reservoir levels are currently among the healthiest seen in recent years, experts caution that rising temperatures and the increasing likelihood of prolonged dry spells could quickly reverse these gains. As climate change intensifies pressure on water resources, the debate over how best to secure the Algarve’s long-term water supply remains far from settled.

For policymakers, businesses and residents alike, the challenge is no longer simply managing the next dry season but preparing for a future in which droughts are expected to become more frequent, more intense and more difficult to predict.