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Submarine structures connected to the Atlantic will supply a new desalination plant in the Algarve, a project created to enhance the region’s water security with a daily production of millions of liters of potable water. The system includes offshore water intake, onshore treatment, and preparation for future capacity expansion.
Portugal is preparing to build a Seawater Desalination Plant in the Algarve to strengthen public supply in a region pressured by drought, reduced rainfall, and increased consumption during peak tourist periods.
Installed about 2 km from the coast, two submerged intake structures will draw water directly from the Atlantic and send it through pipelines to the future onshore treatment unit, planned to produce 43.2 million liters of potable water per day.
Within the Algarve Region Desalination System, developed by Águas do Algarve, the project stands as one of the largest recent water interventions in Portugal, with an estimated investment of 107.9 million euros and funding associated with the Recovery and Resilience Plan.
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Water intake at sea will be done far from the coast
Far from the shoreline, the first stage of the operation will be carried out by two water intakes protected by grids, a mechanism designed to block large materials and channel raw water to the onshore treatment structure.
In this system, the submarine pipelines will function as a permanent link between the Atlantic and the desalination unit, allowing the continuous transport of saltwater to the equipment responsible for removing salts and other components unsuitable for consumption.
According to public data presented by Águas do Algarve, the station will have an initial capacity of 500 liters per second, a volume equivalent to 43,200 cubic meters daily and about 16 million cubic meters produced over a year.
In addition to the initial operation, the project has already been designed for future capacity expansion, a possibility that could increase production to 750 liters per second, corresponding to 64,800 cubic meters per day and 24 million cubic meters annually.
Algarve bets on desalination to tackle drought
In recent years, the Algarve has faced a scenario of increased water vulnerability, marked by pressure on dams, aquifers, and distribution networks amid prolonged drought and the growing irregularity of rainfall in southern Portugal.
As a complementary alternative to traditional supply sources, desalination has been incorporated into regional planning with the aim of diversifying water sources and reducing direct dependence on reservoirs and underground reserves.
At the same time, the Portuguese government created a monitoring group for the project with the participation of public entities, municipalities, fishermen, universities, and environmental organizations, a structure designed to monitor execution and enhance control over the enterprise.
According to the current project guidelines, full-capacity operation will still depend on evaluation by the Portuguese Environment Agency, which considers the maximum use of the station as a strategic resource for periods of greater water scarcity.
Desalination plant structure includes pipelines and marine outfall
Although the treatment station is the most well-known part of the future structure, a significant portion of the operation will be submerged or buried, including ocean intakes, pipelines, transport systems, and equipment related to water pumping.
For residents and tourists, much of the infrastructure will remain practically invisible, but the technical complexity of the project increases precisely due to the need to integrate the marine environment, land structures, and the strict standards required for potable water.
In addition to the Atlantic intake, the system also includes specific infrastructure for the rejection of brine, a byproduct generated in the desalination process, with a marine outfall intended for the controlled release of this material in a previously licensed area.
During the licensing phase, the installation of structures in the national maritime space underwent public consultation, a procedure related to both the intake of raw water and the disposal associated with the permanent operation of the station.
Daily production places project among the largest water reinforcements in the Algarve
With an initial production estimated at 43.2 million liters per day, the project gained relevance in Portuguese water planning by increasing the supply capacity in one of the regions most dependent on consumption stability during periods of higher demand.
In practice, the water drawn from the Atlantic will follow submarine pipelines to the land treatment unit, where it will undergo the desalination process before being integrated into the public distribution system used by the population.
According to Águas do Algarve, the future station is part of a broader strategy to respond to the supply difficulties faced by the region, especially in light of climate scenarios associated with reduced rainfall and irregular precipitation.
Scheduled to become operational in 2028, the project has also faced local opposition, particularly among representatives linked to fishing, the environment, and territorial management, sectors that demand continuous monitoring of the construction and operation impacts.
Even so, the desalination plant has advanced as one of the main water interventions in mainland Portugal by transforming the ocean into a complementary source of public supply during periods of greater pressure on dams and aquifers.
With oceanic intake, submarine pipelines, onshore treatment, and integration into the regional network, the system was structured to convert saltwater into a regular supply reinforcement in a region where water security has become strategically important.
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