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If your
property, or the property you are thinking of purchasing
is not connected to a mains water supply in
Portugal,
don't worry as this is
relatively easy to remedy. However although relatively
straightforward it is worth thinking about how much it will cost, prior to purchasing.
If the property has never
been connected to mains water then this is especially
pertinent as the nearest supply could be some distance
away and cost a lot to connect as you will not only have
to factor in the cost of supplying the metre to your
property, but the laying of additional underground
pipe work and the labour involved to link to your
property.
You can however obtain
quotes for this prior to purchasing a property though
will need the current owner (if you have not already
purchased or signed a
promessa contract)
to apply for a quote from the appropriate municipal
water board office (SMAS).
This request usually takes approximately a week and in
some cases will incur a small charge, but in the longer
term is definitely a worthwhile procedure.
If there is a mains supply
running
directly in front of your property, then the connection
fee will be minimal (normally around 300€) which covers
for the cost of installing a metre and pipe work to the
metre.
Once you have requested and
received your quote for connection from the relevant
SMAS and have decided you will proceed with connection,
you must ensure you have a 'water box' in place prior to
the date of connection so the metre can be fitted,
safely and securely.
The water box must be
mounted on or in a wall, with an inspection door (one
with a Perspex panel to allow reading of the metre) facing
the road. Water boxes of this kind are common place in
Portugal and are available from most large DIY stores or
builder's merchants. |
