EPAL
Published 5 November 2026, 03:36
EPAL — Empresa Portuguesa das Águas Livres, S.A. (Lisbon's water company)
A state company that supplies water to the city of Lisbon. It is the successor to the Companhia das Águas de Lisboa, which supplied the city from 1868; in 1991 Decree-Law 230/91 turned it into a public limited company wholly owned by the state, and since 1993 it has been part of the Águas de Portugal group. Together with Águas do Vale do Tejo, whose operations EPAL runs, it supplies water to 91 municipalities and 3.3 million people.
Where you come across it. Moving into a flat in Lisbon: the water contract and the water bill.
You can only sign a contract directly with EPAL within the city of Lisbon itself; outside it, EPAL sells water wholesale, the bill comes from the local company, and that is who you deal with. The contract itself is free, but you are asked to prove your right to occupy the property: a tenancy agreement, the deed of purchase or the caderneta predial with the artigo matricial number and share, the owner's name and NIF, plus a meter reading, ideally as a photo. There are two discounts: a family tariff for households of five or more (based on the IRS return or a large-family card) and a social tariff for Lisbon households with income below 75% of the annual minimum wage, which gives a discount of up to 95% and is renewed every two years.
Official website: epal.pt