Azorean Government launches €180,000 project to improve agricultural water supply on São Jorge Island - Communication

Secretaria Regional da Agricultura e Alimentação

The Azorean Government, through the Regional Secretariat for Agriculture and Food and IROA, S.A., has put out to tender the works contract for the construction of the Water Supply System in Santo António/Urzelina, São Jorge Island.

The project, carried out in close collaboration with the municipality of Velas, represents an investment with a base price of €180,000 and a stipulated completion period of 180 days.

The new infrastructure will significantly improve water supply conditions for about 134 farms in the municipality, covering approximately 97 hectares.

For the Regional Secretary for Agriculture and Food, António Ventura, this project reflects “another firm step in the Regional Government’s strategy to improve the water resilience of farms, ensuring better working conditions for farmers and increasingly promoting the efficient management of available natural resources.”

The government official emphasised the long-term strategic importance of the measure: “Investing in water storage and distribution infrastructure is essential to boost the competitiveness of the regional agricultural sector and ensure it can adapt to the challenges posed by climate change, whilst contributing to the environmental sustainability of rural areas,” he stated.

The works contract involves the construction of a metal reservoir with a capacity of 250 cubic metres, as well as a supply station and its associated support platform.

With a view to water efficiency and sustainability, the new reservoir will be supplied using surplus water from the existing Velas Municipal Council reservoir, thereby promoting the smart use of resources.

The strategic location of the project will also bring indirect logistical and environmental benefits by significantly reducing the distance farmers currently have to travel to transport water.

This proximity will lead to reduced fossil fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emissions.

This intervention, carried out on the island of São Jorge, falls within Investment no. 10 under Protocol no. 27/2025. It was signed between the Regional Government of the Azores and the Environmental Fund with a view to implementing projects for the collection, storage and supply of water in the archipelago.

With the launch of this tender, the Regional Government marks the tenth and final project provided for in this protocol; the remaining nine are already underway and are progressing within the scheduled timeframes.

Of the €1 million funded under the Environmental Fund, the Regional Government has already awarded contracts totalling €951,623.65 (plus VAT at the legal rate in force), which corresponds to an implementation rate of about 95% of the allocated budget.