Fire: Aguabrava accumulates losses in the order of 350 thousand contos in the last six years with water for agriculture – company
The Intermunicipal Company of Água do Fogo and Brava, Aguabrava, recorded an accumulated loss of around 350 thousand contos in the last six years with the supply of water for agriculture and livestock, said today its administrator.
Rui Évora was speaking in an interview with Inforpress, having highlighted that the price of selling water for irrigation, close to 61 escudos per ton, is “much lower” than the cost of production and exploration, which is around 200 escudos per cubic meter.
“The difference between the real cost of water and the price charged for sale to the agricultural and livestock sector has caused accumulated losses of around 350 thousand contos over the last six years, with 63 thousand contos in 2024 alone”, explained Rui Évora.
For the person responsible for Aguabrava, this difference has, in practice, been subsidized by urban consumers, which represents “an obvious injustice”.
He considers it unsustainable for the company to continue to bear the financial burden of the irrigation system alone and argued that the company does not have the capacity and conditions to assume, exclusively, the price of water for irrigation.
For Rui Évora, the intervention of other entities is necessary to enable the company to continue assuming responsibility for the irrigation water system.
“When I talk about training, it should not be understood only as the granting of financial compensation to the company, but also as support for implementing some measures and creating the conditions to reduce the costs of water production and exploration”, said the administrator of Águabrava, who defends investment in renewable energy.
Among the solutions and measures to be identified, Rui Évora advocates the expansion of the use of renewable energy, including the combination of solar and wind energy, in addition to a technical study to identify the best alternatives for capturing groundwater, which can generate gains in efficiency and sustainability.
In recent years, Aguabrava has drilled five groundwater collection holes, four of which have already been completed, three of which are in operation and the fourth hole, in Chã das Caldeiras, will be equipped this year, including the construction of the associated supply system.
The fifth water collection hole was not completed by the contracted company for technical reasons, according to the administrator/delegate.
Despite operational difficulties, the company guarantees that the amount of water available is sufficient to meet the island's demand.
Daily production is between 4,400 and 4,500 cubic meters, a volume that, according to Rui Évora, could be maintained or even expanded with new investments in infrastructure and drilling, something that, at the moment, is beyond the company's reach due to its financial fragility.
“Unfortunately, the company is not in a financial position to continue drilling more groundwater wells,” he concluded.
Inforpress/End
