Freshwater - Outlook 2020 (Portugal)

The principal objective of the National Programme for Efficient Water Use (PNUEA), approved in 2005, is to promote the efficient use of water, particularly in the urban, agricultural and industrial sectors, and to help to minimise the risk of water shortages and improve environmental conditions in water environments.

The Programme proposes a range of water-use targets to be achieved by 2015:

a)      Urban consumption target

With total effective urban consumption for 2005 estimated at 330 million m³/year and assuming an effective total demand of 570 million m³/year, water-use efficiency stands at around 60 %. In view of the prospects for controlling losses, user procedures and the technological development of equipment, the aim is to achieve 80 % water-use efficiency by 2015. Because of the country’s geographic and social variability, however, which gives rise to very different situations, this national average is expected to exhibit significant regional or local variations.

b)      Agricultural consumption target

With total effective consumption for 2005 estimated at 3 800 million m³/year and assuming an effective total demand of 6 550 million m³/year, water-use efficiency stands at around 60 %. In view of prospects for the area irrigated, user procedures and the technological development of equipment, the aim is to achieve 65 % water-use efficiency by 2015. Because of the country’s geographic and social variability, which gives rise to very different situations, this national average is expected to exhibit significant regional or local variations.

c)       Industrial consumption target

In analysing efficiency in the use of water for industry, the great variety of processes involved in industrial activity and the technological complexity associated with each process must be borne in mind. Thus despite the uncertainty associated with this analysis, weighted average values can be estimated. With effective consumption for 2005 estimated at 275 million m³/year and assuming an effective total demand of 385 million m³/year, current water-use efficiency stands at around 70 %. In view of the prospects for industrial user procedures and the technological development of equipment, the aim is to achieve 85 % water-use efficiency by 2015.

For the coming years the 2007-2013 Strategic Water Supply and Waste Water Sanitation Plan (Plano Estratégico de Abastecimento de Água e de Saneamento de Águas Residuais [PEAASAR]) provides for regular investment in the renewal and expansion of water supply and sanitation networks and the replacement of equipment. Targets for 2013 include ensuring that around 95 % of the country’s total population has public water supply systems and that around 90 % has public urban wastewater sanitation systems.

The National Strategy for Agricultural and Agro-industrial Waste (Estratégia Nacional para os Efluentes Agro-Pecuários e Agro-Industriais [ENEAPAI]) covering the period from 2007 to 2013 is a key tool for defining and clarifying policy for these sectors and constitutes a strategy for implementing an institutional, management and technical model representing a sustainable alternative for processing waste:

•      institutional model for the design, construction and management of waste recovery and treatment solutions [organisations with recognised technical and managerial capacity];

•      collective waste recovery and treatment solutions [technically, economically and environmentally most appropriate solutions];

•      a price structure ensuring the application of the user-pays principle and sustainability [best technical, economic and environmental solutions and optimised management and operating models].

A coordinating and monitoring unit, run by the Water Institute (INAG), was set up to implement the ENEAPAI.

For additional information on ENEAPAI

http://www.maotdr.gov.pt/Admin/Files/Documents/ENEAPAI.pdf

References

• MAOTDR, (2007). Estratégia Nacional para os Efluentes Agro-Pecuários e Agro-Industriais. Ministério do Ambiente, do Ordenamento do Território e do Desenvolvimento Regional, Lisboa.

http://portal.min-agricultura.pt/portal/page/portal/MADRP/PT/servicos/Imprensa/nt_xvii/Documentos/01_ENEAPAI.pdf?_template=