ARCHIVED - Latest water tests show Mar Menor remains safe for bathers says regional government

Bacteria levels remain low in the lagoon although chlorophyll levels are rising

The regional government published the results of the latest tests of water quality in the Mar Menor on Tuesday, concluding that in terms of the levels of faecal bacteria (Enterococos intestinalis and Escherichia coli) the lagoon remains completely safe for bathing.

The wording of the report issued by the Department of the Environment states that according to samples collected on 10^th February the water is “apt for bathing in relation to the parameters analysed”, meaning that it represents no immediate health threat and although is unsightly in some areas, is NOT considered to be a risk to the health of bathers.

There has been concern expressed, certainly on social media, about the presence of green algal growth in the water in some areas, Lo Pagán and Villananitos beach receiving the most attention, and this is generally the major cause of concern for the tourism sector in and around the Mar Menor. Other environment parameters measured show that the level of chlorophyll in the water is 4 grams per litre of water, twice as high as a fortnight ago (according to Antonio Luengo of the regional government). This reflects the fact that vegetation including algae is flourishing in the water, making it very possible that the greenness on the surface in the north of the lagoon will spread to more areas as temperatures continue to rise after the winter.

It is of course good news that the level of E. coli in the Mar Menor remains well below acceptable thresholds, but the prospect that the “green soup” effect which was so visible in the lagoon in 2016 may return is creating concern in the four local councils affected.

These concerns were voiced at the “inter-administrational forum of the Mar Menor” attended by the councils of Los Alcázares, san Pedro del Pinatar, san Javier and Cartagena as well as the regional government on Tuesday, and although councils are able to undertake some work on their own, and many tons of marine vegetation have already been removed from the lagoon, disagreement continues between all of the many bodies involved in the administration and care of the lagoon as to how the situation should be managed on an ongoing basis.

This week efforts to clear the existing algal growth on the vast beach of Villananitos, at the northern end of the lagoon in the municipality of San Pedro del Pinatar have been likened to Don Quijote jousting with a drinking straw, and although most of the rest of the shore between Lo Pagán and Santiago de la Ribera remains in acceptable condition there are signs that greenness is beginning to appear in the water at shallow points. The beaches themselves, along with seafront walks and other infrastructures, are being fully restored following the storms of the winter, and sand replaced, but the water is, to coin a semi-appropriate phrase, a different kettle of fish.

At the moment the greenness is fairly localized, and only just around the corner at the beach of La Puntica the panorama is a far more encouraging one, although biologists and ecologists harbour fears that the low salinity level in the lagoon – the level is currently almost exactly the same as in the Mediterranean, rather than around 20 per cent higher – is threatening the native species of flora and fauna as other invasive species thrive in the “new” conditions.

The lagoon covers 170 square kilometres, a vast area, and the water tends to be warmer at the fringes, so these areas are obviously more vulnerable to algal growth.

The shallowness and warmth of the water have always been amongst the most important "selling points" of the Mar Menor as a tourist attraction, but at the same time are part of the overall factors contributing to the current situation. 

The regional government has set aside 56 million euros for projects relating to the Mar Menor as work continues to resolve the long-term issues faced by the lagoon.

Updates on the weekly water analyses will continue to be posted on the Murcia beach guide as the season begins and in the Murcia Today news feed.

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Click here for an overview of the underlying causes of the alterations in the marine environment over the last 50 years