The publication of this order marks the completion of an important phase of technical and administrative work by the Vila Nova de Cerveira Municipal Chamber, which included investment in specialized studies, laboratory analyses, and procedures with the Portuguese Environment Agency (APA).
Throughout 2026, four orders were published approving the delimitation of protection perimeters for groundwater abstractions in Covas: Order No. 288/2026/1 (Mina do Ledo), Order No. 307/2026/1 (Mina Fonte Fiel), Order No. 319/2026/1 (Mina Brigada, Mina Real, and Valinho 1, 2, and 3), and Order No. 462/2026/1 (Mina Corticas).
With this latest diploma, the delimitation for the covered abstractions is complete, with only the procedure for the autonomous supply subsystem for the locality of Chãos and the locality of Vilarinho, also in the Freguesia de Covas, remaining.
The President of the Municipal Chamber, Rui Teixeira, highlighted that "this is a structuring work, not always visible to the population, but of enormous importance for the protection of water resources, for the administrative regularization of abstractions, and for the sustainability of public water supply systems." He further emphasized that "the approval of protection perimeters represents, therefore, much more than fulfilling a legal obligation. It constitutes an essential tool for preventing contamination risks, preserving groundwater reserves, and promoting responsible management of a natural resource indispensable to the quality of life of the populations."
The President of the Junta de Freguesia of Covas, André Araújo, considered it important to publicize the process and acknowledge the Municipality's work, underlining "the relevance of ensuring a safe and quality public water supply for everyone."
The municipality promoted specialized technical studies to characterize the abstractions and define protection areas, identifying and preventing potential contamination sources. In parallel, it invested in laboratory analyses of the raw water from the abstractions to characterize its quality and obtain the analytical bulletins necessary for licensing processes.
With these results, the Vila Nova de Cerveira Municipal Chamber reaffirms its commitment to environmental sustainability, the protection of natural resources, and the continuous improvement of public water supply conditions, demonstrating the importance of planning, technical rigor, and municipal investment.
