The Socialist Party deputy Mário Tomé lamented last Thursday that farmers in the municipality of Lajes do Pico continue to face
serious difficulties in accessing water, especially in the parishes of Ribeiras and Piedade, recalling that “Azorean agriculture faces structural challenges,” but that on the island of Pico, there are still serious difficulties in supplying water to farmers, aggravated by the lack of maintenance of storage reservoirs and the degraded state of many rural roads.
“This situation, which has been going on for months, is aggravated by the lack of investment in solutions that have already been identified and by the non-existent maintenance of agricultural equipment by the coalition government.
In addition, episodes of vandalism have damaged already weakened systems, further compromising the supply,” stressed the socialist. Mário Tomé said that there are investments, such as the waterproofing of Lagoa do Paul, that remain unresolved, “contributing to farmers continuing to face serious difficulties in accessing water, which is essential for the productivity and viability of “In the middle of summer, farmers in the parishes of Ribeiras and Piedade, in Lajes do Pico, are forced to resort to
water supply points provided by the municipality, which are clearly insufficient,” he added.

In this regard, in a request addressed to the Regional Government, the PS wants to know if the Government is aware that the “Canzana” reservoir has been out of service since January 2025 and why, after six months, it has not yet been repaired.
The Socialists also question the situation of the “Cascalheira” reservoir, which is empty despite being supplied by a natural source, and ask for clarification about the “Paul da Burreca” reservoir, which has been out of service since December 2024.
“The PS/Azores demands that the Regional Government take immediate action to repair and maintain the reservoirs, ensuring access to water and supporting the farmers of Lajes do Pico.”

In Ilha Maior newspaper, Manuel Tomás is the director.

Translated to English as a community outreach program from the Portuguese Beyond Borders Institute (PBBI) and the Modern and Classical Languages and Literatures Department (MCLL) as part of Bruma Publication and ADMA (Azores-Diaspora Media Alliance) at California State University, Fresno, PBBI thanks Luso Financial for sponsoring NOVIDADES.