The consortium formed by Aquapor and the GS Inima group won the public tender for the design, construction and operation of the Algarve desalination plant. The infrastructure, which will be completed by 2026, will use a reverse osmosis desalination system and will initially have the capacity to produce 16 Mm3 of drinking water, with plans to reach 24 Mm3.
“This is a very important project for our country and we are therefore very proud that Aquapor can contribute to the implementation of efficient and innovative solutions, in favor of better preservation of water resources,” says António Cunha, CEO of Aquapor.
“We are very honored and proud to be part of this national project that will contribute to the Algarve Regional Water Efficiency Plan – Promotion of maritime desalination, within the scope of Portugal’s Recovery and Resilience Plan (PRR) Component. This award is a testament to our experience and commitment to providing sustainable, high-quality water solutions around the world, strengthening our position in the desalination sector and addressing the decrease in annual rainfall, ensuring the resilience of public supply to the region’s population,” says Marta Verde, CEO of GS Inima.
The announcement was made on National Water Day, by Águas do Algarve, which points out that “the Algarve region has suffered, over the last few years, cycles of prolonged drought associated with a situation of water scarcity that is already considered structural, resulting in a decrease in the volumes of water stored in the various available sources, and this situation is being monitored by the Portuguese Environment Agency (APA), Águas de Portugal (AdP) and Águas do Algarve (AdA)”.
Thus, “in order to minimize this situation, various studies point to the use of seawater desalination as one of the structural measures for strengthening water production capacity. This option is part of a set of measures that also corresponds to a strategic need linked to water availability and reserves in the region, as identified in the Algarve Region’s Regional Water Efficiency Plan,” he stresses.
