The Miño-Sil Hydrographic Confederation installs a real-time measurement system that will enable the detection of pollution and improve water management in the region
O Barco de Valdeorras takes a step forward in protecting its water resources. The Miño-Sil Hydrographic Confederation (CHMS) has inaugurated a new station of the Automatic Water Quality Information System (SAICA) on the Sil River, with the aim of monitoring key parameters for the health of the river in real time and ensuring a rapid response to possible episodes of pollution.
The installation consists of a multi-parameter probe that will record physical-chemical variables such as turbidity, dissolved oxygen, conductivity, ammonium concentration, pH and water temperature. ‘This system makes it possible to detect accidental pollution incidents that may occur in this body of water and to act more quickly and effectively,’ explained the CHMS. In addition, the data is sent via satellite to the Basin Control Centre (CECU) in Ourense every fifteen minutes and published on the organisation’s website for public consultation.
According to Carlos Guillermo Ruiz del Portal, head of the Hydrological Planning Office, ‘the Miño-Sil demarcation has 123 stations that provide hydrological information (SAIH), 20 of which are equipped with specific technology to also provide water quality data (SAICA)’. The new station in O Barco is thus integrated into a wider network that allows for continuous and up-to-date monitoring of the health of the Sil River.
The action is part of the POCTEP RISC_PLUS project, largely funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) through the Interreg VI A Spain-Portugal programme (2021-2027). This project seeks to improve prevention and management in the face of extreme events such as floods, droughts or pollution episodes, as well as to assess the effects of climate change on the international demarcation of the Miño, Sil and Limia rivers. Of the €55,526.45 invested in O Barco, €36,285.75 was covered by this European initiative.
The new station is a key tool for protecting biodiversity, public health and the natural heritage of Valdeorras. With the arrival of this technology, residents and administrations will have more accurate and up-to-date information, facilitating quick decisions in the event of any incident and reinforcing the commitment to the sustainability of the Sil River.
With this investment, O Barco and the entire region are taking a firm step towards a more secure and conscious future with regard to their waters, demonstrating that technology and international cooperation can go hand in hand to protect the environment.
