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Date Published: 19/08/2022

ARCHIVED - Fit for bathing: Alicante beach reopens after closure due to faecal contamination

ARCHIVED ARTICLE

A suspected sewage spillage into the water forced the closure of Carabassí beach in Elche on Thursday August 18

<span style='color:#780948'>ARCHIVED</span> - Fit for bathing: Alicante beach reopens after closure due to faecal contamination

Twenty-four hours after faecal discharges were detected at Elche's Carabassí beach in Alicante province, the water has been declared fit for bathing and the stretch of coastline has been reopened.

Swimming is once again permitted after Elche Town Council received the green light from the Regional Ministry of Health after analysis determined that the water is safe on Friday morning, August 19.

The coastline was closed on Thursday morning when faecal waste was detected by the General Directorate of Water of the Generalitat following analysis of samples taken on Wednesday August 17.

A "high level of contamination of residual origin with parameters indicating faecal contamination" was discovered, so the council closed the section of the beach between walkways 1 and 2, although access to the sand and the beach bars in the area was allowed.

A red flag was raised on the beach to indicate the ban to bathers.

Elche Mayor, María José Martínez, explained that "the new analyses confirm that the results are in accordance with declaring the water suitable for bathing. In just 24 hours we were able to reopen this beach to bathing so that both the public and visitors can enjoy our coastline, which usually has an exceptional level of quality".

However, public opinion suggests otherwise.

According to some beachgoers, waste has been seen "floating in the area for days". In addition, they complained that the signs indicating that the beach was closed to bathing were not placed in the car park. This meant that "after the ordeal of parking" many people "unnecessarily" found themselves unable to go into the water.

The mayor has stressed that it was a "short-lived episode" caused by an unknown source, although she pointed out that the adjoining beach in Santa Pola, where the sewage treatment plant is located, was closed a few weeks ago following a spillage.

However, the Public Water Sanitation Entity (EPSAR) has assured that there have been no spillages relating to the plant and has "ruled out the possibility that the discharge of faecal waste in the area is due to the sewerage system" suggesting it may be due to "some circumstantial incident".

The local police have opened an investigation to determine the origin of the spillage.

Now read: Six people injured in boat explosion at Calpe port on the Costa Blanca

Image: Ayuntamiento de Elche

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