Water Pollution in Portugal

Water Pollution in Portugal

Portugal is Sea, Portugal is Water

Relevance of Water

Portugal is practically all sea: while the territory out of water is little more than 92,000 square kilometres, the territory under water is almost four million square kilometres. Portugal is Sea, 97% of the country is sea.

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Water Relevance in Mainland Portugal

- The main uses of water in Portugal include supply to populations, agriculture (irrigation and animal watering) and industrial use, as consumptive uses, and hydroelectric generation, as a non-consumptive use. Available fresh water - Portugal has few (and small) natural lakes, so most of the available fresh water is found in precipitation, in that which flows superficially through rivers, in that which infiltrates (aquifers) and in that which is stored in reservoirs.

What is Water Pollution

The World Health Organization (WHO) defines contaminated water as water that undergoes changes in its composition until it becomes unusable. In other words, it is toxic water that cannot be drunk or used in essential activities such as agriculture. In addition, it is a source of unhealthiness that causes more than 500,000 annual deaths globally from diarrhoea and transmits diseases such as cholera, dysentery, typhoid and polio. The main pollutants in water include bacteria, viruses, parasites, fertilisers, pesticides, medicines, nitrates, phosphates, plastics, faecal waste and even radioactive substances. These elements do not always taint the water, so that water pollution is often invisible. For this reason, chemical analyses of small samples and aquatic organisms are used to find out the state of water quality.

Water Quality/Water Pollution

The quality of fresh water depends on natural factors and to a large extent on human activity and the same can be said for the quality of seawater. - Rainfall distribution on the continental territory is quite heterogeneous and it can be said that its scarcity in some regions. - Extreme hydrological phenomena such as floods and droughts. - Deforestation and forest fires, particularly in the summer, contribute to the sediment being dragged into hydrographic basins. - The average rise in temperatures and the frequency of natural phenomena such as heat waves resulting from climate change also contribute to the deterioration of water quality.

Some natural factors that can affect water quality/water pollution

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Water Quality/Water Pollution

The quality of fresh water depends on natural factors and to a large extent on human activity and the same can be said for the quality of seawater. - Uncontrolled household water consumption.

Some human activitys that can affect water quality/water pollution

- Poor hygiene practices can result in the contamination of water sources. - Agriculture (irrigation and animal watering) and industrial use, as consumptive uses. - Microplastics, chemicals, heavy metals and other harmful substances resulting from human activity. - Maritime traffic - Most of the plastics that pollute the oceans come from fishing boats, tankers and freight transport.

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Water Quality/Water Pollution

Portuguese situation

According to a report released in July 2018 by the European Environment Agency (EEA), in Europe, Portugal appears well placed overall. In the Iberian Peninsula, the water with the highest quality is throughout the north, from Galicia to the French border, with Portugal also showing the best water in the north of the country and in the Algarve, with the southern interior being the worst region. In terms of groundwater quality, Portugal is in the group of countries where quality varies between 75% and 100%. Only six countries have reached 100% quality. As for the chemical quality of the river basins, Portugal is also at the top in terms of quality, in contrast to the central European countries.

Water supply and sanitation

In Portugal, water supply and wastewater sanitation registered a clear evolution in attendance levels and quality indicators, in association with the significant investment made since the beginning of the 1990s.

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Water Quality/Water Pollution

Portuguese situation

Drinking Water Quality Control

According to the Portuguese Water and Waste Services Regulatory Authority (ERSAR) - the competent authority for water quality for human consumption, the Safe Water indicator (controlled, good quality water) is close to 99% compliance with the parametric values specified in the legislation. Click to see the graph illustrates the evolution of the safe water indicator in mainland Portugal.

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Water Quality/Water Pollution

Portuguese situation

The state of Portuguese water resources

The quality of surface water resources in water sources such as rivers and reservoirs is assessed by determining their ecological and chemical status. Ecological status expresses the quality of aquatic ecosystems and assesses the gap between observed conditions and those that would exist in the absence of any human activity. Ecological status is assessed through ecological indicators (e.g. fish) that measure this deviation. Based on the most recent information, made available in the Hydrographic Region Management Plans, 57% of existing river bodies in mainland Portugal show good or even excellent quality (ecological status), while 43% still do not meet the quality thresholds. About half of the reservoirs do not meet the quality thresholds, while in the case of estuaries and especially coastal waters, a large majority show good ecological quality indicators.

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Water Quality/Water Pollutionl

Portuguese situation

Portuguese bathing areas

According to the European Commission's June 2022 report, of the 652 Portuguese bathing areas (coastal and inland), 577 are of excellent quality (88.5%), 40 of good quality (6.1%), three of sufficient quality (0.5%) and two of poor quality (0.3%), with 4.6% receiving no rating at all.

Facts and Figures

Data for the year 2021 (Annual Report on Water and Waste Services in Portugal (RASARP))

86% Percentage of households in mainland Portugal served by public urban wastewater collection and treatment systems.

184 LITERS Average daily water consumption per inhabitant

1.8 MILLION M^3/DAY Wastewater treated daily

97% Percentage of dwellings in mainland Portugal served by public water supply systems

627 THOUSAND Quantity of annual water quality analyses carried out

98,96% Percentage of good quality controlled tap water

Conclusions

PORTUGAL

97% is sea.

Few natural lakes, so most of availabel fresh water is found in precipitation, that are stored in reservoirs.

The distribution of precipitation is quite heterogeneous, and the climate change affects our country.

Main uses of water are to supply populations, agriculture and industrial use.

Conclusions

Quality of water in Portugal

• Groundwater : 75%-100% good;
• River water: 57% good;
• Coastal water ecology - 57% good;
• Ecology of Reservoirs water- 52% good;
• Ecologyof waater ins estuaries - 60% good;
• Bathing areas - 89% excellent and 6% good;
• Water supply - 99% excellent.

GOOD

In recent years Portugal has made an effort to improve the quality of its water, which is reflected in the results.

Thank you Questions?

References

Web links

Agência Portuguesa do Ambiente - Plano Nacional da Água

Agência Portuguesa do Ambiente - Água

Conselho Nacional da Água

Entidade Reguladora dos Serviços de Água e Resíduos

Diário de Notícias. (2021, 26 de abril). 88% das zonas balneares em Portugal têm águas de excelente qualidade.

Jornal de Notícias. (2018, 14 de maio). Água portuguesa é das melhores da Europa, mas não chega.

Iberdrola S.A. Water pollution. Iberdrola Sustainability.

Safe water indicator

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Most recent information, made available in the River Basin Management Plans

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