The president of the Portuguese Swimming Federation (FPN) assured this Wednesday that the organization is studying strategies to prevent the drought from forcing the closure of some pools, as happened in 2022.
“I believe that this year the water resources will continue to be a problem. It is necessary to implement strategies to mitigate the decrease in resources and we have to work directly with the local governments,” said António Silva to the Portuguese agency, at the Assembleia da República, where he presented the project “Waterproof.
The president of the FPN, who also chairs the European Swimming League (LEN), said that the two organizations “are working to find strategies” to avoid the situation that was experienced in 2022, when several pools were closed due to drought and the rising energy costs. .
António Silva admitted that energy costs, “which have been declining,” should “not be a problem this year.”
In September of last year, the FPN expressed its concern about the closure of several swimming pools in various parts of the country, recalling the implications of these decisions in the deterioration of the population’s health.
The organization warned of the “direct consequences on all age groups of the Portuguese population and socioeconomic strata”, and the impact of the closure on federative programs in collaboration with various entities, such as ‘Portugal a Nadar’ and ‘Competência Aquática’.
The most recent data indicates that 89% of the Portuguese territory is in a situation of drought, and 34% in severe and extreme drought (Southern Region).
Source: TSF
