We have achieved important transformations that today reflect in a higher standard of living

The year of 1993 saw the launch of a genuine revolution in the supply of water and wastewater sanitation in Portugal. As a result of membership of the then European Economic Community, there was the scope for implementing a corporate management structure led by Águas de Portugal in partnership with the municipalities.

Through supra-municipal solutions, returning economies of scale and enabling greater levels of efficiency in the utilisation of resources, the group proved able to attain the objectives of raising water quality standards alongside public service levels with Portugal now ranking among the European Union countries attaining the best levels of environmental performance.  

Today, Águas de Portugal group companies provide services, directly or indirectly, throughout all of mainland Portugal and across the fields of water supply and wastewater sanitation. The group runs further operations in the renewable energies and shared service sectors as well as its ongoing engagement in international markets.

Taking into account guaranteeing all citizens continuity, universality, quality and sustainability in the provision of these essential public services, the group sets about its mission and heading down a path enabling a more robust and sustainable future due to the excellence of the services rendered, its high level environmental performance and constantly deepening it technical, economic and financial levels of efficiency.

  • 1868


    Founding of CAL – the Lisbon Water Company that held the concession for the water supply to the City of Lisbon Water Company through to 1974 when it then gave way to EPAL – the Lisbon State Water Company. In 1991, EPAL was restructured into an entirely state owned corporation and henceforth known as EPAL – Empresa Portuguesa das Águas Livres, SA. which was integrated into the AdP group in 1993.

  • 1993


    Founding of Águas de Portugal, integrated into IPE – the Portuguese State Investment and Holdings vehicle and attributed responsibility for the development of Multi-municipal Water Supply and Wastewater Sanitation Systems.

  • 1995


    Founding of the concessionary companies running the first Water Supply Multi-Municipal Systems (Cávado, Douro e Paiva, Barlavento Algarvio and Sotavento Algarvio). Founding of the Costa do Estoril Multi-Municipal Wastewater System and the setting up of Sanest.

  • 1997


    Founding of Aquapor, a company dedicated to participating in the municipal systems market and rendering support to the group’s expansion into international markets and particularly focusing on Portuguese language countries such as Angola, Brazil, Cape Verde and Mozambique.

  • 2000


    Integration of Empresa Geral do Fomento (EGF) into the AdP group as a sub-holding for the waste sector. Setting up of the first integrated multi-municipal water and sanitation systems in conjunction with the launch of their respective concessions. Beginning of the cooperation project with East Timor. Publication of the first Strategic Plan for the Supply of Water and Wastewater Sanitation (2000-2006).

  • 2001-2002


    The launch of AdP Internacional and set the mission of managing the Group’s businesses beyond the national scope. There was also completion of the process to deactivate, close and environmentally restore around 300 EGF run rubbish dumps. Furthermore, new multi-municipal systems and their respective managing entities were set up.

  • 2005


    The Water Law was published and transposing into the national juridical framework the EU Water Framework Directive. This also was a year when Portugal experienced a hitherto unprecedented drought with AdP collaborating in the development and implementation of a broad public awareness campaign advocating the rational utilisation of water and means of minimising the impact of the drought.

  • 2007


    Reorganisation of the AdP Group within the scope of focusing more closely on the Multi-Municipal Water and Wastewater Systems, beginning the process of disposing of Aquapor and other companies with complementary activities in international markets. The new Strategic Plan for Water Supply and Wastewater Sanitation was also published for the 2007-2013.

  • 2009


    The establishing of a new model for the integrated management of the urban water cycle based upon the signing of partnership contracts between the state and municipalities with the very first such partnerships established in the regions of Aveiro and Alentejo, with their operation and management attributed to the Águas de Portugal group.

  • 2012


    Launching the process of reorganising the water sector within the objectives of ensuring the continuity, universality, quality and sustainability in the provision of these essential public services and implemented through a series of territorial, organisational, regulatory and financial reforms.

  • 2014


    Presentation of the water sector restructuring strategy within the scope of the new strategic plan for the sector for the period through to 2020 (PENSAAR 2020), a new financial support program (POSEUR), the strengthening of economic regulation, with new statutes for ERSAR and the detailed invoice law coupled with the overall reorganisation of the AdP Group. This also saw the approval of the EGF reprivatisation process.

  • 2015


    New Multi-Municipal Water and Sanitation Systems come into operation in the North, Coastal Centre and Lisbon and the Tagus Valley regions and along with their respective managing companies. Conclusion of the sales process of EGF, sub holding for solid waste treatment.

  • 2016


    The launch of four additional companies by spinning off Aguas do Norte and Aguas de Lisboa and Vale do Tejo received approval at the General Shareholders Meeting, based on criteria of efficiency, equality and solidarity between systems.

  • 2017


    Launch of Águas do Douro e Paiva, SIMDOURO, Águas do Tejo Atlântico and SIMARSUL company operations. 


    Sale of the remaining share (5%) of EGF share capital.