The intermunicipal company Águas do Alto Alentejo (AAA) has submitted since January applications for EU funds totaling 9.4 million euros, for the creation, renewal and modernization of networks, equipment and infrastructures, it was announced today.
In a press release, AAA indicates that these applications to the Portugal 2030 Program aim to serve the water supply and sanitation systems managed by the company.
“The applications build on the investment of over 11 million euros carried out by the intermunicipal company since 2022 and reinforce the strategy of modernizing the infrastructures, improving operational efficiency and increasing the resilience of the services provided to the population of the ten municipalities that comprise AAA,” according to the press release.
AAA is responsible for managing the intermunicipal system of water supply and sanitation for 10 municipalities in the Portalegre district, namely Alter do Chão, Arronches, Castelo de Vide, Crato, Fronteira, Gavião, Marvão, Nisa, Ponte de Sor and Sousel.
In parallel, according to AAA, a water efficiency project begun at the end of 2024 is underway, representing an investment of around six million euros over eight years.
The project includes the installation of new measurement and control equipment, the creation of measurement and control zones, the installation of pressure-reducing valves, the replacement of obsolete meters, the updating of the network registry and the strengthening of monitoring and telemanagement systems.
“These interventions allow monitoring of flows and pressures, detecting leaks and anomalies more quickly, reducing the number of ruptures and improving the efficiency and reliability of the networks,” they add.
Cited in the press release, the AAA’s CEO, Rui Choças, explains that the company is “carrying out a strategy of continued investment,” aimed “not only at solving current problems,” but also at the “preparation of the territory” for the challenges of the coming decades.
AAA notes that measures implemented since 2022 by the company “have reduced non-revenue water by about 18%” and saved “approximately 414 thousand cubic metres of water,” which is equivalent to a volume of “water sufficient to fill about 166 Olympic-sized swimming pools.”
“In the same period, around 32 thousand obsolete meters were replaced and more than 800 ruptures identified and repaired through active leak detection,” they recall.
