The Municipal Water and Sanitation Services of Castelo Branco (SMASCB) invested 8.55 million euros in the modernization and rehabilitation of water supply and sanitation infrastructures and signed 15,180 new domestic contracts between 2021 and 2025.
According to data provided to the Lusa agency, during this period, approximately 8.55 million euros were invested in the modernization and rehabilitation of water supply and sanitation infrastructures, of which 3.25 million euros were allocated to water supply networks and 5.30 million to sanitation networks.
“This financial effort has allowed us to strengthen the reliability of the infrastructures, increase the resilience of the systems, and ensure a more efficient management of the services provided. In the water-supply domain, the service strategy is based on an integrated approach that combines investment in renewing infrastructures with a strong reinforcement of operational capacity,” explained SMASCB.
The capacity to operate, supported by adequate technical resources and highly specialized teams, allows minimizing the volume of water lost, reducing response times, and ensuring an increasingly efficient operation of the water supply network.
“Over the last five years, the municipalized services recorded consistently reduced levels of non-revenue water, ranging from 10.7% to 15.5%, reaching in 2025 the best result in the series, with only 10.7%.”
This performance of SMASCB results from the combination of continuous investment in infrastructure and the professionalism of the operational teams, whose preventive actions and rapid incident-response capabilities have been decisive in reducing real water losses.
In the same period, the services recorded 15,180 new contracts and meter reactivations, with an annual average of 3,036.
The data also indicate that 2025 stood out with the greatest growth of the period, recording 3,452 contracts, which represents a 14% increase compared to 2024 and a 25% rise compared to 2021.
On the other hand, there were 4,582 contract terminations over the five years, with a stable annual average of 916 cases.
“These indicators are not just statistical numbers or cubic meters of water. They are the direct reflection of a coordinated strategy to attract people, attract investment, and strengthen territorial cohesion in our municipality,” explained the president of the Castelo Branco City Council and of SMASCB’s Administrative Council, Leopoldo Rodrigues.
Regarding infrastructure (an indicator that reflects the pace of new construction), 903 new connections to the water supply network were made in the last five years, corresponding to an average of 181 new connections per year.
Last year recorded the highest value of the period, with 207 new connections, representing a 40% growth compared to 2024 and a 10% increase compared to 2021.
The wastewater network followed this trend, with 478 new sanitation connections carried out in the same period, an average annual of 96.
Also here, 2025 was the most expressive year, with 118 new connections, translating into an increase of 46% compared with the previous year and a 6% increase against 2021.
“The direct comparison between new contracts and terminations confirms a continuously positive net balance, indicating the attraction of new residents, the re-occupation of dwellings, and the sustained growth of municipal services in the Castelo Branco municipality,” he stressed.
After years of pronounced population loss, as depicted in the 2021 censuses, the latest estimates of resident population from the National Institute of Statistics (INE) show an important trend reversal for the Castelo Branco municipality.
According to the same INE data, the Castelo Branco municipality registered an increase of 4,051 residents between 2021 and 2025, rising from 54,146 to 58,197 inhabitants.
