“The Municipality of Silves rejected, at the headquarters of the Association of Municipalities of the Algarve (AMAL), the increase in water tariffs”, says the municipality in a statement, highlighting that it was “the only municipality to do so”, at the time.

The president of the Algarve Intermunicipal Community, António Miguel Pina, announced last week that the first step will not have any increase, with an increase of 15% being applied to the second step, 30% to the third and 50% to the fourth and last step, starting in March.

According to the Chamber of Silves, chaired by Rosa Palma, the second level of consumption covers the overwhelming majority of consumers, meaning this is a “socially unfair and penalising” measure for families.

“The Municipality of Silves considers that the path to saving water in the volume of human consumption (15%), which is absolutely necessary, essentially involves raising awareness and sensitization among the population, in which we trust”, the note reads.

It also points out, as solutions, the creation of internal contingency plans and the “decisive combat against water losses in the public supply network, using the equipment and technological devices already installed and functional throughout the municipality of Silves”.

In a statement sent to Lusa, the three mayors elected by the PSD in the Algarve stated that they were unavailable to increase the price of water, claiming that the increase would constitute an “unfair and unjustified decision towards the citizens”.

Rogério Bacalhau (Faro), José Carlos Rolo (Albufeira) and Francisco Amaral (Castro Marim) argue “that the people of the Algarve cannot be the ones to pay for the total lack of action on the part of the Government” which was “incapable of taking measures aimed at confronting the problem".


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