Pollution in the Pateira de Fermentelos: an environmental and public health risk

Question for written answer  E-000929/2021
to the Commission
Rule 138
José Gusmão (The Left), Marisa Matias (The Left)

Pateira de Fermentelos, the largest natural lagoon of the Iberian Peninsula, is considered a wetland of international importance. This ecosystem of inestimable value for the environment and local communities serves as a habitat for several fish, crustaceans, molluscs, reptiles and amphibians, as well as a few mammals.

Aside from the fact that invasive species are multiplying, the Pateira and the Cértima river (the main source of water flowing into the lagoon) have clearly become polluted through the repeated discharge of untreated effluent, which is killing off thousands of fish. Water from the Cértima river is still used to irrigate agricultural land, meaning its pollution is also a serious threat to public health. It is unacceptable to think that public waste water treatment facilities are among the sources of this water pollution. A plan to protect this ecosystem is urgently needed. The Left Bloc has challenged the Portuguese Government on this topic on a number of occasions, but there is no solution in sight.

In view of the international significance of this lagoon and the Water Framework Directive, what will the Commission do to urge the Portuguese authorities to take action to end the contamination of this water and implement a plan to reverse the pollution?