The Water and Waste Services Regulatory Authority (ERSAR) awarded the “Exemplary Quality of Drinking Water for Human Consumption” badge to the SMAS of Paredes – Municipal Water and Sanitation Services, which receive the distinction for the first time, according to a press release.
According to the same source, promoted by ERSAR, since 2009 this initiative aims to “highlight the public water supply service providers that, in the last year of regulatory evaluation, have ensured exemplary quality of drinking water for human consumption.” On the national stage, “the quality of tap water destined for human consumption has maintained high levels of public trust in recent years,” ERSAR states.
The SMAS of Paredes appear on the list of 72 councils and municipal companies distinguished by ERSAR, covering about half (50.9%) of the population of mainland Portugal.
According to ERSAR, the awarded entities from the municipalities fulfilled all the criteria set, including “100% compliance with the number of analyses scheduled in the Water Quality Control Programme” and “99.0% compliance with the parametric values for routine control 1 (coliform bacteria and Escherichia coli).”
The seals will be presented at the ERSAR Ceremony, relating to the awarding of “Prizes and Seals of Water and Waste Services,” integrated into ENEG 2025 – National Meeting of Water and Sanitation Managing Entities, on 18 November, in Santa Maria da Feira.
Recall that the SMAS of Paredes – Municipal Water and Sanitation Services were founded by decision of the Municipal Assembly on 28 December 2020, with immediate effect after the termination of the 2001 concession contract with the company AP — Águas de Paredes SA. With the creation of municipal services the municipality assumed direct management of the water intake, treatment and distribution of water and the sanitation of the effluents of the municipality.
