Cristóvão Norte, MP and leader of the Social Democratic Party (PSD) in the Algarve, has argued that it “makes no sense to endlessly reopen debates” over the construction of the planned desalination plant, stressing that the choice of Albufeira “was made in a context in which centrality was essential to serve the entire region”.
In a statement sent to newsrooms, the Social Democrat said desalination should be regarded as “a last line of security within a broader response to water scarcity”.
His remarks come as the desalination project has returned to the political agenda following vocal criticism from Albufeira mayor Rui Cristina (Chega), which has also prompted a response from the Minister for the Environment.
In a video shared on social media, the mayor described the €108 million project as a “political, environmental and territorial error” that could have lasting impacts on sensitive coastal areas.
Cristóvão Norte maintained that the Algarve requires a comprehensive, integrated, and consistent response to the water crisis, arguing that desalination must not be viewed in isolation but as part of a wider programme aimed at ensuring the region’s water supply security.
“Desalination is not a black-and-white issue. It is not about reducing a structural problem to a simple ‘yes’ or ‘no’. What the Algarve needs is a complementary and integrated vision for water management, combining reuse, water efficiency, loss reduction, system interconnection, new water sources, and greater supply resilience,” he said.
Within that framework, he added, desalination “should be seen neither as the first nor the only solution, but as a last line of defence, a strategic reserve, a lifeline for a region that remains exposed to water scarcity and uncertain rainfall”.
The MP also stressed that the desalination project was not conceived hastily, but forms part of a structural programme designed to address the Algarve’s water crisis, involving public investment, technical studies, environmental assessment, legal procedures, and a solution defined within a broader strategic framework.
“My position is not simply in favour of desalination. It is in favour of a comprehensive water programme for the Algarve. That is what is truly at stake. The Algarve cannot continue to depend on a single variable called rainfall. It needs redundancy, security and response capacity,” he said.
Source: Sul Informação
