"It was promised that, at the end of August, we would reassess the situation in the Algarve. This is being done, fortunately, it is going well. We will see what the Portuguese Environment Agency will conclude, but there have been very significant savings" in the sectors of agriculture, tourism and human consumption, she said.

Even so, according to the minister, who spoke to the Lusa news agency on the sidelines of the inauguration of the traditional August Fair, in Grândola, in the district of Setúbal, "it is possible to do more" together with the Algarve municipalities.

"We are working with municipalities to reduce the number of boreholes, financing municipalities for works to reduce leaks, because there are municipalities that have 30 to 40% of water leaks, increasing the capacity of some facilities, some existing dams, as was the case in Odeleite, and using more recycled water for golf courses", she highlighted.

In addition to these measures, the Government will "invest in new water sources, such as the Algarve desalination plant", Maria Graça Carvalho explained.

According to the Minister responsible for the Environment, the Algarve and the "western coast of Alentejo, which includes the Alentejo coast, are "two regions that concern" the current Government, led by Luís Montenegro.

"The western coast of Alentejo is fortunately experiencing great development, it is attracting a lot of industrial investment in Sines, agricultural investment in the Mira [Odemira] region, and tourism investment, but for all of this, water is needed", she argued.

In her opinion, "new sources of water" are needed and the construction of "a desalination plant" in the Alentejo coast region is one of the solutions still under study.

"One of the things that is clear is that industrial investments in Sines, namely hydrogen projects, will have to have their own solution for water, because hydrogen is made from renewable energy, but also from water", she considered.

Around 40% of mainland Portugal was in moderate and severe meteorological drought at the end of July, according to the Portuguese Institute of the Sea and Atmosphere (IPMA) in its climatological bulletin for last month.