Almada, Portugal, July 10, 2026 (Lusa) - The Ombudsman’s Office is investigating the water supply shortage in Almada, in the district of Setúbal, following complaints lodged by residents in the municipality.
“The situation is currently under investigation following the receipt of complaints,” the Ombudsman’s Office stated in a response sent to the Lusa news agency, while the office continues to gather further details on the matter.
In recent days, media outlets have reported repeated water cuts in the municipality of Almada, particularly in Costa da Caparica, prompting the mayor, Inês de Medeiros (PS), to declare a state of alert on Wednesday.
Also on Wednesday, late in the day, around 1,500 people gathered for a protest in Costa da Caparica, demanding solutions to the problem and calling for the mayor’s resignation.
On Thursday, the consumer protection association DECO called for urgent measures to ensure the public water supply in Almada is guaranteed and for compensation, such as an exemption from the refuse collection charge for affected consumers.
Among other measures, the association also called for the waiver of the fixed charge on bills relating to the periods and areas where water supply cuts occurred, and for the extension of payment deadlines, without late payment interest and with the option of payment in instalments.
Almada’s Municipal Water and Sanitation Services (SMAS) have activated a contingency plan to restore reservoir levels, a measure which has already led to the temporary suspension of water supply in 15 localities across the municipality.
Meanwhile, the Minister for the Environment and the Mayor of Almada held a meeting, attended by the chairpersons of the Portuguese Environment Agency, Águas de Portugal, EPAL, and SMAS Almada.
At the end of the meeting, the minister assured journalists that a new water extraction well would be operational by the end of the week, increasing the system’s capacity by 20%.
Maria da Graça Carvalho also said that the current water supply constraints in Almada, in the district of Setúbal, should be resolved within two to three weeks and that the measures taken in the meantime will gradually improve the situation.
“We are talking about two or three weeks, but the measures being taken to stabilise the system will improve the situation gradually,” said Maria da Graça Carvalho.
She specified that the anticipated two to three weeks do not mean the area will be without water for the entire period, but rather that this is the estimated time it will take for water levels to return to the required levels.
GC/ADB // ADB.
Lusa
