PORTIMÃO Câmara and Águas do Algarve (AdA) are hoping they have found the solution to put an end to the bad smell that emanates from the River Arade in Portimão. The construction of a new water treatment plant (ETAR) could be the answer and the financial viability of the project is currently being studied.
The new plant would be constructed close to the existing one, but function mechanically rather than use the anaerobic method employed by the existing equipment – a technique that has so far proved ineffective.
“It makes sense to build a new plant,” said the President of Portimão Câmara, Manuel da Luz. In September, members of the câmara were unanimous in the need to build a new ETAR that will be big enough to cope with domestic waste, as well as the effluent produced by the pig farms in Monchique.
Financial concerns could block new plant
However, there are concerns over the financial implications of constructing a new ETAR. A new plant would mean that the investment originally expected would increase by no less than 10 times the amount. According to AdA, a new water treatment plant could cost 3.5 million euros, while the contract signed with the câmara only foresaw an amount of 300,000 euros for adapting the existing ETAR. “We cannot go crazy and carry out works that will go way above the original budget,” commented Artur Ribeiro, Managing Director of AdA. Ribeiro said that this would result in an increase in regional water bills and, for this reason, he prefers to wait for the conclusion of the financial viability study.
