been told today in three different places of people with boreholes which have now gone dry...very worrying as many places still do not have access to mains water.

That sounds very alarming for those affected Guest....what happens?...do they send round water tankers?

The Water Tankers or drill Deeper Boreholes....their only choice if they want to stay and survive there, judging by how it's been described here.

The question is: "Where do you find the Water to fill Water Tankers?"

of course the camaras will do nothing..no water tankers.you must buy it privately from someone with a lot of water or from the fire station 40 euros for 9000 litres (assuming there is no fire and they can deliver)

Doesn't look too good for the Locals, does it?
(there go the fresh veggies)

Question...What, exactly, is the local government there for?

(or the National government, for that matter)

After all, it's not like ths drought is taking anyone by supprise.
(Droughts simply don't work that way)
And, from what I can tell, this is a national, as well as local, problem.

And yet, it seems that the drougth (not to mention the fires) are catching the government of Portugal (local and national) flat footed.

Where I live, they start the first stages of water rationing in May or June at the latest, if it looks like it's going to be a dry Summer (we are having one of "those" Summers even as I speak)

The PT government get $$ from taxes, and more $$ from the EU, and they knew this problem was going happen....so, what did the government (Local and National) actualy DO with that money?

Because the Portuguese Government is still in the dark ages ..a top heavy beaurocratic , corrupt organisation who have no Idea how to manage and most dont care unless its in self interest......Thats Portugal. They bleep on about no money all the time but hundreds of companies have tried to invest here over the years and walked away in disgust once they realise this is only a 'Cant Do' government.......we have talked about this a lot over the years and now Portugal is strangled and going down..the water shortage did not have to be this way...IF they had planned a few years back...

Sad but true guest

I spoke to the Ambient Department yesterday on someone's behalf because a large drilling machine had arrived outside her home in the countryside, apparently to put in a new borehole to an illegal property opposite. The Ambient told me that they are currently not allowing any more new boreholes to be dug and want people to report to them anyone digging without the correct license. They said that the situation is very serious and a lot of existing boreholes could dry up.

Is that just in one district (no new boreholes) or anywhere?

Can't be 100% certain on that pm. I think I spoke to the Faro office in the end, as opposed to the SOS 24 hour number in Lisboa, so can only assume the guy I spoke to was referring to the Algarve region, which they cover. They sent someone, who was in the Silves area yesterday, to check out whether the company had permission to excavate the borehole and the machinery has disappeared today, so looks like they didn't!?

Many builders, obviously when wanting to flog a plot or ruin etc in countryside areas, have been telling people...yer, no problems, you just have to stick in a borehole if you want water. They fail to tell people that you need to apply for a licence from the Ambient Departement and it isn't always a foregone conclusion, especially with the water situation as it is now.

I didn't know that a licence was required. I shall have to remember that.

well delighted to hear that the ambient people say no more holes to be dug...300 metres from you Aquas do Algarve are drilling away (last 6 weeks at it!!!) 250 metres down to take all the water to be be piped to Allgoz to be then used no doubt for really important things like dammed golf courses...of course we have no mains water here nor do all the resiidents in zone...the petition went to silves camara who do ..yes..nothing..not even reply.

spoke to a lady who for years has dealt with beaucratic problems here for forieigners...says she has had enough and going to go back to brazil ...shes says if this country carries on like this there will another revolution....her words not mine

Yes pm you definately need a licence to put in a borehole...legally that is of course

Aquas do Algarve obviously have a licence then guest...money talks eh? The spokewoman for them was a local Silves girl, in fact very local to the new golf courses. You would think she would want to protect her local environment wouldn't you?

Oh well...when the powers that be in Silves Câmara are having to bath with a friend and flush their toilets once a week, then maybe they might consider the petition.

I can well understand the lady, who is going back to Brazil rather than continue to help foreigners with bureaucracy. I help some friends and family with some "bureaucratic" matters here, as I have a good grasp of Portuguese and on the limited basis I do it, it drives me absolutely insane



I worked in Italy for a while and I thought they were a little on the bureaucratic and laid back side shall we say, but it was a picnic compared to here. No country is perfect but they really do make things difficult for themselves here

They are very very stupid.........Look...you can go on and on finding excuses ,,,,I did that fot three years..I was prepared to invest over Two million Euro..to employ over 50 people.... Red Tape was never ending...I DUMPED.....50 nice people who needed work and took it to the new Eastern block...( Everybody making a good living and happy) ....I now have a nice house here and enjoy the sunshine..as for the economy..I tried but they could not help themselves....Look........You Portuguese either wake up or become poorer and poorer.......Wake up.....Portugal...OR..if you are happy to remain Mr. No Money in Europe...Stay as you are-----------OK ..I'll get blasted and told this is Portugal etc etc..OH how nice and quaint it is......but Please...is this what you Portuguese really want...Tell me......I'm very confused...

well said...they are really shooting themselves in the foot

Here Here.......But it wont change.......thats why after HK in 1997...half million Chinese of Portuguese decent came back here.from .MACAO......and within three years they all went either to California or back to HK......It was a joke here .....They wanted to invest Billions ......The Portuguese couldnt even process a piece of paper...in a logical way.......I also am back in UK.....wanted to live and invest in Portugal.....tried and gave up..went back to UK in 2003........I now employ over 100 people ...Portugal lost out........
I ask why...cant they wake up ......So you have your Bars and restaurants ..why Oh Why cant we put manufacturing and R & D in Portugal.....why do you only know of Tourists.......Many companies want integrate and work in Portugal...unfortunately it's just just vsuch hard work..we go elsewhere and spend our money there.