“At the end of August there will be another assessment and, therefore, there may be more restrictions or there may be a relief, depending on the water situation in the Algarve reservoirs”, stated Maria da Graça Carvalho.


In her responses to deputies, the minister said that these restrictions on consumption in the Algarve are assessed every two months and admitted that, as it is summer, they cannot be expected to be eased at the end of August.

"We will see. We can ease them, which is not expected, because it is summer, or we can make them more restrictive, if necessary”, said the Minister of Environment and Energy.

The relief of restrictions imposed on water consumption in the Algarve was approved in June by the Council of Ministers, a proportional adjustment and subject to permanent evaluation.

The Government of António Costa had declared an alert situation in the Algarve region on February 5th due to the drought, but, at the end of May, the current Prime Minister, Luís Montenegro, announced the easing of restrictions imposed on agriculture and urban sectors, which includes tourism.