Agricultural producers in Alentejo demand Alqueva water connection

Agricultural producers in the Southwest Alentejo region are calling for an urgent water connection between the Alqueva reservoir and the Santa Clara dam. Luís Mesquita Dias, president of the Association of Horticulturists, Fruit Growers, and Floriculturists of Odemira and Aljezur (AHSA), stated that connecting Monte da Rocha in Ourique to Santa Clara in Odemira could provide approximately 25 million cubic meters of water annually.

This volume would more than double the recent annual consumption in the region, which has fluctuated between 15 and 20 million cubic meters. Dias noted that the government has expressed willingness to work on this connection, which he described as a faster and cheaper solution than building a desalination plant, though he maintains that a desalination plant will eventually be necessary for the region.

Beyond water security, the AHSA is planning several long-term projects, including initiatives for biodiversity, composting, and the creation of renewable energy communities, which could be operational within six months to a year.