Águas do Alto Alentejo (AAA) announced this Friday that it will be the first water-supply systems management entity in Portugal to develop and operationalize the concept of Volumetric Water Benefits and the future generation of water credits for water efficiency, an innovative initiative that aims to transform gains from reducing water losses into measurable environmental value and into new opportunities for sustainable financing.
The announcement was made by the Chief Executive Officer of Águas do Alto Alentejo, Rui Choças, during the company’s Annual Conference, held in Sousel, dedicated to the theme “Water Efficiency and Circular Economy: Pathways to the Future”.
Through the AQUA+ platform and the application of internationally recognized methodologies, the company intends to scientifically quantify the water saved through the reduction of Non-Revenue Water, creating the conditions for the future generation of water credits. The aim is to acknowledge the environmental value of operational efficiency and to position the Alto Alentejo region as a reference territory in innovation applied to the sustainable management of water resources.
“Water efficiency ceases to represent merely an operational saving and begins to constitute an environmental asset, capable of generating value for the territory and contributing to new models of corporate responsibility and green financing,” highlighted Rui Choças.
The announcement marked the third edition of Águas do Alto Alentejo’s Annual Conference, which brought together institutional leaders, experts, researchers, and representatives from the water sector to discuss the challenges of sustainability, climate adaptation, and the circular economy.
At the opening session, the Chairman of the Board of Águas do Alto Alentejo, Rogério Alves, noted the four years of the company’s activity, highlighting the path developed since the entity’s creation by the ten shareholder municipalities — Alter do Chão, Arronches, Castelo de Vide, Crato, Fronteira, Gavião, Marvão, Nisa, Ponte de Sor and Sousel.
Rogério Alves stressed that the company has invested more than 10 million euros since the beginning of its activity, while simultaneously securing more than 8 million euros in European Union funds intended for the modernization of infrastructures, technological innovation, and the continuous improvement of the service provided to the populations.
Among the main indicators presented during the conference is the 18% reduction in Non-Revenue Water since 2022, a result that avoided the acquisition of more than 400,000 cubic meters of treated water (the equivalent of 80 million five-liter jugs), thanks to reinforced leak detection, the fight against illicit uses, and ongoing investment in network renewal.
As part of the circular economy strategy, the company also presented a set of projects already in implementation, including the replacement of 32 thousand water meters with more technologically efficient equipment, a pilot project of ultrasonic meters funded through the recycling of materials from the replaced equipment, the complete reuse of packaging used in water treatment, the progressive electrification of the vehicle fleet, and the expansion of electronic invoicing.
Águas do Alto Alentejo also revealed that it currently ensures a safe-water rate of 99.64%, supported by international certifications ISO 9001 (Quality) and ISO 14001 (Environment), consolidating its position among the management entities with the best performance indicators in the sector.
Throughout the morning, topics were debated such as funding for sustainability, water efficiency, drought management, biomethane production as an example of the circular economy, and the future challenges of water management, in a gathering that again affirmed itself as a space for knowledge sharing and cooperation among public entities, academia, and the business sector.
Through this conference, Águas do Alto Alentejo reinforced its commitment to continue investing in innovation, operational efficiency, and the preservation of an increasingly strategic resource, embracing the ambition to place Alto Alentejo at the forefront of sustainable solutions for water management in Portugal.
