The formalization ceremony took place at the Praça da Democracia in Valongo, attended by the four mayors, the President of the Porto Metropolitan Council, the Vice-President of CCDR-N, and the President of the Portuguese Environment Agency (APA). The new association aims to strengthen cooperation among the municipalities crossed by the Ferreira River, establishing a common structure to coordinate efforts, identify problems, and develop solutions for the river's environmental recovery, combating pollution and degradation.
The Mayor of Valongo, Paulo Esteves Ferreira, emphasized the importance of a joint strategy, stating, "The Ferreira River knows no borders, so the response must be joint." The association will seek to identify problems, monitor water quality, and return the river to the public.
Pedro Duarte, President of the Porto Metropolitan Council, praised the municipalities' collective effort, highlighting the importance of "several centralities" within the Metropolitan Area capable of developing regional projects.
Luís Filipe Araújo, Mayor of Gondomar, stressed that current challenges require "united, coordinated, and unwavering" responses, and that environmental policies are crucial for economic development and social cohesion.
Paulo Ferreira, Mayor of Paços de Ferreira, highlighted the "special significance" of the initiative for his municipality, stating that "defending the Ferreira River is not just an environmental issue, it is defending our history, respecting our identity, and taking responsibility for the future".
Alexandre Almeida, Mayor of Paredes, pointed to the works at the Arreigada Wastewater Treatment Plant (ETAR) as "crucial" for the future of the Ferreira River and the importance of the new association in monitoring actions on the ground.
Pedro Machado, Vice-President of CCDR-N, praised the creation of municipal associations for stemming from "their own will" to combat common problems.
José Pimenta Machado, from the Portuguese Environment Agency (APA), noted the importance of wastewater treatment plants and mentioned the challenge of creating a river beach, offering support for this initiative.
The Association will share its headquarters with the Association of Municipalities of the Serras do Porto Park in Valongo and will adopt a rotating annual presidency. The first presidency will be held by Valongo, assumed by Paulo Esteves Ferreira.
