Government increases coastal protection in Espinho

The Government is moving forward with new works in the Espinho coastline to increase its protection and the beaches’ environmental quality in a direct response to the impacts of the storms in February. The priority is to ensure clean waters and safety conditions when the beach season starts in a region where beach activities and tourism are decisive for the local economy and take on a relevant role in the national economy.

During a visit to the works to requalify he Silvalde breakwater on 2 March, the Minister of Environment and Energy Maria Graça Carvalho announced that intervention works will be carried out in the north and south Paramos breakwaters and the Silvalde and Rio Maior streams, in addition to the works under way.

The works on the Silvalde breakwater represents a 2.4-million-euro investment and should be completed by year end. The work, which began before the bad weather hit was meanwhile revised and will be complemented with works on Paramos (north and south).

At the same time, the streams of Mocho, Silvalde, and Rio Maior, which suffered recent flooding, will also undergo intervention works. This includes cleaning, controlling pollution and renaturalising the banks to consolidate the beds.

The Minister acknowledged the pressure felt in the coastal area, worsened by extreme weather events, and stressed the need to have structural responses that combine coastal protection, land planning, and environmental quality. The goal is to ensure safety for the people, safeguarding critical infrastructure, and preserving the region’s tourism appeal.

Maria da Graça Carvalho stressed the determination in completing the structural works and also noted that the set of intervention works is "very important to make sure that all the beaches have the Blue Flag next summer".

As for the region of Ovar, the critical situation in São Pedro beach, Maceda parish, was acknowledged, where there is a risk of a cliff slide and possible exposure of debris in an old landfill that was sealed 30 years ago. The situation will be assessed with the national taking stock of the impacts of the bad weather on the coast, which will be presented in the next few days.