The supply network for mains water in Monchique is "unsatisfactory" according to the latest report from the Regulatory Authority for Water and Waste Services (ERSAR)
Happily Lagos and Aljezur have 100% of its population on the mains or served by publically regulated boreholes, allegedly.
The quality of water in the region’s 16 municipalities is generally ‘of good quality,’ but the ESAR review is an old one despite having been released only today. The 2013 review will not be released until ‘mid-2014.’
The report does show that in Monchique the public water supply network is "unsatisfactory" because 20% of households still are not on the mains.
ERSAR said that in Monchique further expansion of the public mains water supply may not be "technically or economically feasible.” The remaining customers are served by borehole water whose quality should be regularly monitored."
The report does not say how many are not served by mains or public borehole but concluded that the Algarve district’s customers have pretty good access to the public water supply.
The Strategic Plan for Water Supply and Sewerage 2007-2013 set a target for 2013 of providing safe, good quality water to 99% of households.
With regard to water quality it was shown in the 2012 report that the majority of municipalities in the region had reached or exceeded this 99% target.
When compared to the rest of the country the Algarve scores well as the national average is below the 99% goal, with 98.20% of tap water supplied considered safe and good quality.
Nationally, 95% of Portugal’s population has access to a public water supply and the Algarve scores poorly here with Faro, Castro Marim, Vila do Bispo, Lagoa, São Brás of Alportel and Loulé all scoring in the 80s.
