The mayor of Albufeira, Rui Cristina, announced on 30 October an embargo on construction of the Algarve desalination plant. His reason: the project breaches the municipal land-use plan. The municipality also wants the brine discharged deeper and further offshore. Environment minister Maria da Graça Carvalho described it as an embargo on the land; based on a first reading by her lawyers, the works could continue "for the most part". The developer is Águas do Algarve, and the main construction phase is due to run until early 2028.
The dispute is not about whether to build, but about planning law and the brine outfall. Whether work has actually stopped was not established as of 3 November.
Source: Observador · Barlavento