Olhão Council’s municipal company, Ambiolhão, is said to have budgeted around €3.5 million to rid Armona, the Ria Formosa island set in a natural park, of hundreds of domestic septic tanks.
Despite having charged property owners for years for water supply and sewage treatment, only water has been supplied. An estimated 800 properties are linked to individual septic tanks as no foul water network has ever been installed on the island.
"The tender for the work should be launched in the second quarter of this year," said António Pina, president of the municipality.
This contract has a planned duration of 15 months and a main objective of eliminating the existing septic tanks, the construction of pipe network and three pumping stations.
As for the water supply, the current network, "is already old with losses of more than 50%," explained Pina, so it will have to be replaced.
