The Government of the Azores published the legislation approving the delimitations of the protection perimeter of groundwater collection for public supply in the archipelago in the Official Journal today.
 
The decision is part of an Ordinance issued by the Regional Secretariat for the Environment and the Sea and comprises a total of 354 groundwater catchments across the archipelago. This measure involves the creation of immediate protection zones, intermediate protection zones and extended protection zones.

With the creation of protection perimeters, the Government intends to prevent, reduce and control pollution of groundwater, including rain water leakage, leaching substances, irrigation water and waste water, as well as to recover the natural processes of dilution and depuration.

In addition to preventing, reducing and controlling accidental discharges of pollutants, this measure also aims to create warning and alert systems for the protection of water supply from groundwater collection in case of accidental pollution.

 From now on, any activity in the immediate protection zone is forbidden, except those aimed at the preservation, maintenance and improvement of these areas. The terrain should be sealed and kept free from waste, products or fluids that may hamper water quality.
 
Under the terms of this Ordinance, the immediate protection zone is the circular area of the ground surface with the centre located in each catchment and whose radius (30 or 60 metres) are indicated in the annex to the document.

In turn, agricultural and cattle herding activities, pesticide use, construction of building, roads, camping parks and spaces for sports activities will be limited or forbidden in intermediate protection zones as when there is imminent risk of polluting groundwater. These activities will subject to previous approval by the Regional Directorate for the Environment.

The legislation also limits or prohibits in the intermediate protection zone waste water treatment and collection facilities, sewage drains, industrial facilities, cemeteries, quarries, ponds, works and excavations, mining prospecting, excavations for water collection and storage, substances that are likely to leak and scrap yards.

Furthermore, aeronautical infrastructures, car repair workshops, radioactive waste, hydrocarbon, radioactive and hazardous waste deposits, petrol stations and fuel service areas, transport of hydrocarbons, radioactive materials or other hazardous substances, transport of hazardous products by pipeline, dumps and landfills are strictly forbidden in intermediate protection zones.

With regard to extended protection zones, the ordinance limits or prohibits, when necessary, the use of pesticides that may generate toxic substances, waste water collectors, sewage drains, ponds, works and excavations for water collection and storage, substances that are likely to leak, waste water treatment facilities, mining prospecting, aeronautical infrastructures, car repair workshops, petrol stations, fuel service areas and scrap yards.

The transport of hydrocarbons, radioactive materials or other hazardous substances, radioactive waste, hydrocarbon and hazardous waste deposits, transport of hazardous products by pipeline, refineries and chemical plants, dumps and landfills are strictly forbidden in these protection zones.

The delimitation of the intermediate and extended protection zones is available at the Regional Directorate for the Environment - Hydrographic Administration of the Azores and the Regional Information System on Water at the following address: http://sig.sram.azores.gov.pt/SRAM/site/SRIA/.