These funds are intended to create, renovate, and modernise networks, equipment, and infrastructure.

In a statement, AAA indicated that these applications to the Portugal 2030 Program aim to support the water supply and sanitation systems managed by the company.

“The applications build upon the investment of over €11 million made by the inter-municipal company since 2022 and reinforce the strategy to modernise infrastructure, improve operational efficiency, and increase the resilience of services provided to the populations of the ten municipalities that make up AAA,” the statement read.

AAA manages the inter-municipal water supply and sanitation system for 10 municipalities in the Portalegre district: Alter do Chão, Arronches, Castelo de Vide, Crato, Fronteira, Gavião, Marvão, Nisa, Ponte de Sor, and Sousel.

Concurrently, according to AAA, a water efficiency project launched in late 2024 is underway, representing an investment of “approximately six million euros over eight years.”

The project includes installing new metering and control equipment, creating metering and control zones, installing pressure-reducing valves, replacing obsolete water meters, updating network records, and strengthening monitoring and remote management systems.

“These interventions make it possible to monitor flow rates and pressures, detect leaks and anomalies more quickly, reduce the number of pipe bursts, and improve network efficiency and reliability,” they add.

Quoted in the statement, AAA Director-General Rui Choças explains that the company is “implementing a strategy of continuous investment” aimed not only at “resolving current problems” but also at “preparing the area” for the challenges of the coming decades.

AAA notes that the measures implemented by the company since 2022 have “reduced non-revenue water by approximately 18%” and saved “around 414,000 cubic meters of water”—a volume “sufficient to fill about 166 Olympic-sized swimming pools.”

“During the same period, approximately 32,000 obsolete water meters were replaced, and over 800 pipe bursts were identified and repaired through active leak detection,” they note.