Drought: Algarve dam levels ensure supply for another year
The Portuguese Environment Agency (APA) have announced that the six dams that supply the Algarve are at 35% of their total water storage capacity, ensuring water supply for another year.
“The six reservoirs that supply the Algarve region have a total volume of around 155 hm3 (cubic hectometres), corresponding to 35%” of their total capacity." However, despite the situation being better than last year, “we must continue to save water”, the APA warned.
In mid-November of this year, after the last rains in the South region, the dams were at 34% of their total capacity, one percentage point less than they are currently. The rain recorded in the first half of November meant, at the time, an increase of five percentage points in the capacity of the Algarve's dams.
Wednesday's figures also indicate that the situation is currently better than a year ago, “with an additional 41 hm3”.
“The data shows that the contingency plan approved by the interministerial commission, which eased water cuts, is “in line with the results and with the assumption that we always have water reserves for one year”, the APA added.
In the eastern Algarve, the Odeleite dam is now at 47% of its capacity (60.50 hm3), the Beliche dam at 39% (18.74 hm3) and the Funcho dam at 38% (18.05 hm3).
In the western Algarve the percentages are less, with the Odelouca dam registering 30% of its capacity (47.88 hm3), the Arade dam 17% (4.82 hm3) and the Bravura dam 13% (4.40 hm3).
Brits are furious over new Spanish tourism personal data rules
British tourism in Spain is under threat due to the implementation of new safety rules in accommodation, which came into force on December 2nd. These measures require stricter control of tourists' personal data, something that has already generated reactions of discontent in the United Kingdom, the main source market for tourists to Spain.
In 2023, tourism represented 12.8% of Spanish GDP, equivalent to 186.6 billion euros, with the British contributing 19.9 billion, or 18.4% of that total.
The new rules, known as the “42-point rule”, require hotels and car rental companies to record customer data on a daily basis and keep it for three years. In addition to their first and last name, anyone aged 14 or over must provide additional information such as gender, nationality, date of birth, passport number, address, telephone number and, in some cases, credit card details. Children under 14 are exempt, but their companions must prove their relationship. Anyone who fails to comply with these obligations faces fines of up to €30,000.
The measures apply to a wide range of accommodation, from hotels, guesthouses and rural accommodation to campsites, as well as car rentals. The aim, as stated by the Interior Ministry, is to strengthen security by combating threats such as terrorism and organised crime. The authorities plan to cross-reference the data collected with databases of “persons of interest”.
However, the new requirements are already sparking criticism and concern in the tourism sector. Spanish hotel association CEHAT believes the regulation is disproportionate, contradicts European data protection directives and threatens the economic viability of the sector. In addition, there are concerns that the new procedures will make check-ins longer and harm the experience of tourists, as they may have to provide the same data multiple times during the same stay.
The British press has highlighted the discontent of citizens, who see the rules as an unnecessary bureaucratic barrier. Some tourists say they will avoid visiting Spain in the future, expressing their displeasure at feeling unwelcome. “I spent many years going to Spain, but I will never go again. If they don’t want us, we are not welcome… and who wants to go to places where they are not welcome?” said one British citizen, furious at the new rules. The possible boycott comes at a time when Spain relies heavily on British tourism, particularly in the coastal regions most visited by UK tourists.
Although the Spanish government has justified these measures on security grounds, criticism of the potential impact on tourism, which is a cash cow for the country’s economy, is growing. The response to these new rules could determine the future relationship between Spain and its British tourists, who have so far been a key pillar of the sector.
Portimão: “normal road traffic conditions” restored at Ponte Nova
Rotas do Algarvehave confirmed that as of this Saturday, December 7th, “normal road traffic conditions” at Ponte Nova, will be restored.
The traffic on the bridge over the Arade River, located on the EN125 between Portimão and Lagoa, has been affected by temporary traffic lights and alternate traffic flow since mid September, causing long traffic queues.
The inspection work on the bridge’s tie rods, has now been successfully completed.
However, work by Lagoa Council is scheduled to begin on Monday 9th December, on Rua Infante de Sagres, in Parchal, a main route leading to Ponte Velha in Portimão, meaning that road traffic in this area will be restricted.
Lagos: 5 year old suffers electric shock from municipal christmas lights
Christmas lights crashed in Lagos on Saturday night, after an exposed wire gave an electric shock to a 5 year old child, in the in Jardim da Constituição area.
Yesterday, Hugo Pereira, the Mayor of Lagos, clarified that “it was found that the reason for the shock was an electrical wire that was exposed and was next to the grass, but it was repaired immediately.”
The young boy was assisted by locals, and a firefighter who was in the area. Luckily, he “did not suffer serious injuries, but was taken to hospital as a precaution and for monitoring, and was discharged on Sunday morning”.
“We (the local authority services) were always in contact with the family and monitoring the child. It was an incident that, fortunately, was nothing more than a big scare,” the Mayor highlighted.
According to Pereira, the lighting safety circuit breaker “should have tripped, i.e., cut off the electrical current, which did not happen”.
The mayor added that, after the accident, the company responsible for the installation was asked to “carry out a thorough inspection of all the Christmas lights installed in the city, in order to assess their safety conditions.”
Some of the people who witnessed the accident “had collected and published images on social media, with false information, that the child had suffered a cardiac arrest”, said the Mayor, “fortunately, the case did not have serious consequences for the child’s health, contrary to what was reported by onlookers."
Tavira: man arrested for growing cannabis
After 2 months of investigations, the Tavira GNR arrested a 59 year old man yesterday, for growing cannabis and possession of a prohibited weapon.
The statement reads, “the Guard's military personnel carried out a house search that culminated in the dismantling of a greenhouse, intended for the cultivation of cannabis, and the seizure of prohibited weapons”.
Several devices related to the different stages of cultivation, drying, packaging and packing of the narcotic product were found dusing the house search.
Police seized 224 cannabis plants, 3358 doses of cannabis, five bottles of cannabidiol (CBD) oil, a tactical crossbow, two recurve bows, 27 darts, 21 arrows, two cell phones, LED lights, solar panels, extractors and fertilizers.
The detainee was charged and the facts were reported to the Tavira Judicial Court.
42 million euros allocated to refurbish 6 schools in the Algarve
Six public schools in the Algarve will be refurbished with funding from the Recovery and Resilience Plan (RRP) and the European Investment Bank (EIB), benefitting from works totalling 42 million euros of investment.
Following the approval of applications from the Municipalities of Monchique, Vila Real de Santo António, Albufeira, Faro and Lagos,
The EBI de Ferreiras is part of the first group of four schools in the Algarve approved under the “School Recovery and Rehabilitation Programme”, signed between the Government and the National Association of Portuguese Municipalities, which also includes the EB Manuel do Nascimento (Monchique), the EB D. José I (Vila Real Santo António) and the EB Dr. José de Jesus Neves Júnior (Faro), whose financing contracts were signed in Monchique on 29 May, in the presence of Manuel Castro Almeida, Deputy Minister and Minister for Territorial Cohesion.
Yesterday morning, president of the Algarve Regional Coordination and Development Commission (CCDR), José Apolinário, participated in the public ceremony to lay the first stone for the refurbishment and expansion of the Ferreiras Integrated Basic School (EBI), promoted by the Municipality of Albufeira.
A statement from CCDR Algarve reveals that, subsequently, two more applications were joined by the Municipalities of Faro (EB 2+3 D. Afonso III) and Lagos (EB das Naus), which will be financed using funds from the European Investment Bank, contracted by the Portuguese State.
The planned work must be completed by June 30, 2026.
