No water again in Ponta do Sol and Ribeira Brava

Tobi Hughes·
Madeira News

Some of my blog readers have asked if I know why there is a lack of water in their area, it’s highlighted in the news almost everyday at the monent, as it is again today with a head line on the front of the Diário Notícias.

Canhas seems to be the hot spot in Ponta do Sol, where taps have been dry for three evenings running now.

Ribeira Brava in some parts seems to be having the same problem, also Santa Cruz on my side of the island, as in Gaula on Sunday they had the fire brigade out with their tanks supplying water to residents.

If I remember, Ponta do Sol had this same problem last year, and I think they blamed it on the low water reserves in Rabaçal, which might be the case.

But it seems these areas are having a huge amount of building of new houses, and the system just can’t keep up with the demand, especially if all these new properties have swimming pools to fill.

Are you affected from not having water for days on end, put your comments below.

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Tobi Hughes

8 Responses

  1. You hit the nail on the head Tobi, all around us every patch of ground seems to be sprouting another concrete carbuncle [lovely inside but a blot on the landscape] 3/4 bedrooms, many ensuite and swimming pools all need more water, and we don’t have it! Couple that with the AL increase where most are on holiday and don’t care until they don’t have water, then it’s the owners fault and responsibility. I don’t understand the fascination of vast concrete “gardens” that appear to be hosed down every day, I water our terrace/pots every 2 or 3 days it’s sufficient and havn’t lost a thing. For those of us who remember “bath night” when we were growing up, we didn’t have any thought of every day baths and I don’t remember going down with anything nasty, even in this hot weather a shower a day is sufficient. We should all ask ourselves if it is necessary before wasting this precious commodity…the island’s workforce should expect priority.

  2. No way it’s about lack of water in Rabaçal or any other reservoir as we’re having levada water streaming along the street right now while our tap is dry again! It’s all about mismanagement and poor decision making of those who in charge of communal services.

    And of course we never use tap water with hoses, we have a tank full (fingers crossed) of levada water for that purpose thanks to the local levadeiros.

    As for swimming pools, they only got filled once (and probably once again after serious repairs requiring emptying) but still compensate their daily water loss due to evaporation from taps – but it’s not a big deal when it comes to numbers of the whole household consumption, believe me.

  4. Another consequence of the over-promotion of the island for tourism?
    Almost certainly not the complete answer, but must be a contributing factor.

  5. Trust me Mik, I have a levada running through my plot, with what I see running through I would not use it for anything, 10 years ago you could safely drink it, now at best we get washing machines discharging and worse doesn’t bear thinking about. We have a precious commodity, increase in housing and tourism adds to the strain on the system but I am sure it’s management could be a problem [but one of many].

  6. I question the condition of the water pipe infrastructure as the Ponta do Sol Camara describes it as a water line breakage. They also say that more breaks can occur when they repressurize the system after fixing the latest break. I do not believe it is the tourists as they do not fill up swimming pools or even cook that much.

  7. It is also time, that all the plots receiving this very cheap levadawater, has been checked from the câmaras if the owners really produce something or only watering a private garden for more or less free.

  8. Well if the water was the only problem but isn’t ? I was in Madeira and seen some things happening in the levadas the complete out of respect and bad behaviour that some tourist been doing washing their feet and also washing their dogs in the levadas the water that eventually will supply the water that the local people drink and them also. This isn’t correct or even right . The Madeira government and the forest commission should banned the dogs from the levadas complete beside being a danger to the hikers when lose and ruining over the place and know being wash in the levadas .

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