Portugal protects groundwater sources in peneda-gerês National Park
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The Portuguese Ministry of the Environment approved a protection perimeter for two groundwater collection points in the Gavieira parish of Peneda-Gerês National Park.
The new boundaries for the "Furo F1" and "Furo F2" wells at the Beleiral-Gavieira site in Arcos de Valdevez began taking effect on Friday. These specific sources provide drinking water to 19 local residents. The protection zones aim to prevent and control the pollution of underground water.
The ministry intends to stop pollutants from entering the water supply through rainwater runoff, excess irrigation water, or washing water. These perimeters also help support natural dilution and self-purification processes while establishing alert systems to warn of accidental pollution. The Portuguese Environment Agency presented the delimitation proposal based on studies from Águas do Alto Minho, the entity that manages the wells.
The water source belongs to the Maciço Antigo Indiferenciado da Bacia do Lima, which currently holds a "Good" global status under the Minho and Lima Hydrographic Region Management Plan. The legal framework requires the Portuguese Environment Agency to assess the risks of these drainage basins.
