Hotels use 70 per cent of desalinated water

The Porto Santo Desalination Plant is preparing to increase its production capacity to 10,000 cubic metres of water per day, thereby strengthening the security of the island’s drinking water supply. The facility plays a strategic role in the sustainable management of water resources, ensuring supplies for the resident population and the tourism sector, which accounts for around 70 per cent of the water produced.

This capacity increase forms part of a series of investments in modernising the supply system, including the expansion of the plant, the water mains network and the reservoirs. Water is collected from underground galleries, desalinated using reverse osmosis and distributed via a network spanning around 100 kilometres, promoting efficient and resilient water resource management.

At the same time, solutions have been implemented to reuse treated wastewater for the irrigation of golf courses and other green spaces, helping to reduce the consumption of drinking water. These measures reinforce the Region’s commitment to the sustainable use of water, adaptation to climate change and the promotion of a more efficient and environmentally responsible development model.