The CDS party alerted the European Parliament about persistent pollution in the Paiva River. The most recent cases were brought to the attention of Pedro Bastos, a CDS deputy in the Municipal Assembly of Arouca, who requested the intervention of his fellow Members of the European Parliament from the territory of Aveiro and the Porto Metropolitan Area.
History of Environmental Complaints
Pedro Bastos explained to Lusa that this initiative stems from several complaints made over the past years by residents and local groups. These have reported continuous problems with the deterioration of water quality, which affects the environmental, ecological, touristic, and economic heritage of the municipality of Arouca.
Recent Aggravation of the Situation
The problem appears to have intensified in recent weeks, at which time a worsening of the phenomena was noted, characterized by increased water turbidity, the appearance of whitish foam, and the presence of strong and unpleasant odors.
Intervention with the European Commission
The municipal deputy specifically mentioned an incident that occurred on June 10th, which affected river sections in the parishes of Canelas and Espiunca, generating new requests for investigation. In this context, MEP Ana Miguel Pedro communicated the situation to the European Commission through a letter, where she referred to 'successive episodes' of polluting discharges and demanded compliance with the Water Framework Directive 2000/60/EC.
Calls for Corrective Action
The CDS representative also encouraged the European structure to pressure the responsible local authorities to carry out detailed investigations and implement corrective measures, thus ensuring respect for environmental legislation.
Importance of the Paiva River
For both CDS elected officials, this high-level intervention is crucial, as the Paiva River, once considered one of the cleanest in Europe, covers classified areas and represents a vital natural resource for the local population, nature tourism, and various economic activities in Arouca and the municipalities along its 112-kilometer course, including Moimenta da Beira, Sernancelhe, Sátão, Vila Nova de Paiva, São Pedro do Sul, Castro Daire, Cinfães, and Castelo de Paiva.
They concluded that safeguarding this heritage must be a priority, demanding efficient action from the competent entities both to identify the sources of pollution and to implement the necessary preventive measures.
