Routine checks have confirmed what local residents have long feared: the levels of pollutants in the water around the Los Realejos sewage treatment plant are too high. This means that the water at one of the most popular beaches in the north of Tenerife is also polluted. On Wednesday, Playa Jardín was partially closed. Yet again.
According to unofficial reports, the decision was taken with some reluctance at the town hall in Puerto de la Cruz. This is because the closure brings to light something that the tourism-dependent municipality is reluctant to admit: the sewage problems have still not been resolved; it is merely the case that the limit values are once again being met on most days.
The recent rise in E. coli levels in the bathing water ultimately triggered the health protocol for Playa, which stipulates that it must remain closed until water samples show an improvement. At least this time, the measure was implemented much more quickly than during the months-long closure.
Tenerife is struggling to get its wastewater under control
On that previous occasion, it took around two weeks in Puerto de la Cruz for poor water test results to lead to the beach being closed. During the review, the reporting procedures were examined – and improved. This time, the test results for the samples taken on Monday reached the town hall on Tuesday, and action was taken on Wednesday.
Playa Jardín consists of several small beaches and coves. The latest samples taken at sampling point 4, which is located on the large central beach, showed an excessively high concentration of bacteria. Although the figures are said to have been significantly better as early as Wednesday, the beach remained closed.
Local residents contacted the Water Board several weeks ago. There have been reports of a smell of sewage almost every day coming from the high-rise block on municipal land in Los Realejos, near the beach. Residents said they were finding it increasingly difficult to air their homes (more on this below).
Tenerife continues to discharge sewage into the sea near Playa Jardín
Other residents have now also resumed their protests. Puerto de la Cruz and Tenerife had stated, as part of their policy, that they would address the sewage problems. Yet, even more than two years after the facility was closed in early July 2024, little work has been done to tackle the root cause.
The mayor of Puerto de la Cruz, Leopoldo Afonso, believes his local authorities are „acting in a fully responsible manner“. He says they want to „protect the safety of those who enjoy our beaches“. The politician then goes on to say: „Although the five samples commissioned by the town council showed excellent results for bathing, we must comply with the health authority’s instructions.“
In other words: the town hall is acting on the basis of its own samples, which show optimal conditions, whilst the Tenerife Public Health Authority has detected such high levels of contamination that it has ordered the closure. It is not just this discrepancy in the samples that needs to be urgently addressed. Among the problems is a sewage pipe that remains damaged, which normally pumps partially treated sewage just under a kilometre off the coast. 240 metres of it need to be replaced.
Local residents describe the measure as „extremely urgent“. Nevertheless, even a good year after it reopened, poor water quality continues to cause bacterial contamination and irregular closures of Puerto de la Cruz’s most popular beach, as well as an ongoing political debate. Meanwhile, there is no real solution in sight.
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