On 03/10/2022 Carmona Rodrigues, the ex-mayor of Lisbon (CML) who in 2004 had signed the first proposal of the PGDL (General drainage plan for Lisbon), and José Silva Ferreira, general coordinator of the PGDL Project Team since 2014, officially announced the start of construction work on the PGDL, which is expected to be completed in 2025.
The project will have two effects on the city: a significant reduction in flooding with the channeling of excess water into the river as well as the creation of infrastructures that will allow the reuse of water for street washing, irrigation of green spaces and strengthening of fire-fighting networks.
Works will take place on the following 7 sites: Campolide (September / October - April 2025), Avenida da Liberdade (February 2023 - August 2024), Rua de Santa Marta / Rua Barata Salgueiro (February 2023 - August 2024), Avenida Almirante Reis / Rua Antero de Quental (November 2022 - September 2024), Santa Apolónia (October 2022 - March 2025), Avenida Infante D. Henrique (October 2022 - April 2025) and near the Convento de Chelas (November 2022 - April 2025).
In Campolide, near Quinta José Pinto, where the future anti-pollution basin will be built, a shaft will be built, as big as a football field and 26 m deep, where the TBM H2OLisboa, manufactured by Creg, 130 m long, with 6.4 m outside diameter and a 70 t head. The TBM will drive - at an average depth of 30-40 m - the Monsanto - Santa Apolónia (4.6 km) and Chelas - Beato (1 km) tunnels with a 5.5 m inner diameter.
The two tunnels will capture the water collected at the 2 high points (Monsanto and Chelas) and along the route at Avenida da Liberdade, Rua de Santa Marta and Avenida Almirante Reis, then direct it into the river (Sant'Apolónia and Beato). In this way the water, which would cause flooding at the critical points of Lisbon, will be diverted during thetimes when the rainfall is at its heaviest.
The pieces of the TBM H2OLisboa, which arrived in Lisbon on 12/09/2022 on the Pantera J ship, have now reached the Campolide site, where it has to be assembled. The TBM will begin to excavate the first tunnel, in early 2023.
For further information on the project click here and here, for the tunnelbuider tender archive click pt/42. Visit https://planodrenagem.lisboa.pt/. 40/22.
