Untreated Sewage Discharge Prompts Warning
Environmental campaigners have issued a stark warning about water quality on Canary Islands beaches, citing a daily discharge of 100 million litres of virtually untreated wastewater into the sea. The respected US travel guide Fodor's has included the Canary Islands on its No List, advising travellers to reconsider visiting the popular Spanish archipelago off the coast of Morocco.
Health Risks from Contaminants
ATAN (Tenerife Association of Friends of Nature) has warned that swimming in the Canary Islands poses a health risk. Contaminants found in raw sewage, including rotavirus, enterovirus, hepatitis A, and Salmonella, can cause diarrhoea, fever, vomiting, respiratory illnesses, and skin infections, according to the World Health Organisation.
Juan Rumeu, president of the Canary Islands Business Association of Environmental Consultants, described the discharges of raw sewage along the coast as "a very serious public health issue." He noted that it can take up to three days for a beach to be closed after a discharge is reported. "It takes days to get the test results back. What happens during the 72 hours before a beach is closed? What about all the people who swam there beforehand?" Rumeu said.
Local Concerns and Beach Closures
Local resident Alba Domínguez told El Diario that finding a safe beach has become increasingly difficult. "The first thing I check before choosing a beach is that there are no contamination warnings and that it isn't near areas that have been closed for the same reason," she said. Domínguez added that she used to spend entire summers at El Médano beaches but now considers them off-limits for swimming.
Leocadio Machado Beach, a popular spot in El Médano for water sports, was closed earlier in July due to high E. coli levels. On July 6, bacterial levels did not meet European minimums, with 800 CFU (Colony-Forming Units) of E. coli detected per 100 ml of water. The beach reopened on July 9, though the City Council stated the exact cause of contamination remains unknown.
Ongoing Contamination Issues Across Islands
In Lanzarote, the capital's main beach was closed for six months due to faecal contamination. In Playa Blanca, a popular tourist hub in the south of the island, another beach was closed in June for the same reason. In Gran Canaria, episodes of faecal contamination at El Confital beach have been recorded for over eight years, and swimming remains temporarily banned, according to the National Bathing Water Information System.
