By Staff Reporter
The latest water quality analysis meets the standards set by the regional environmental authority.
Cala Cerrada beach in La Zenia, Orihuela Costa, has reopened after being temporarily closed for two days due to wastewater contamination. The announcement was made on Friday by the Orihuela City Council鈥檚 Department of Beaches.
A new water sample was taken last Wednesday following cleanup efforts aimed at eliminating the spill. These actions were part of the Bathing Water Quality Monitoring Program managed by the Regional Department of Environment and Water. According to the City Council, the latest test results 鈥渃omplied with and were within the quality parameters established by the conselleria.鈥 Based on this, and following the guidance of the Directorate-General for Water, the department鈥攍ed by Manuel Mestre (Vox)鈥攁uthorized the reopening of the beach to swimmers.
The conselleria conducts weekly water quality checks, allowing for quick and effective preventive measures before issues escalate.
In response to the contamination, the Department of Beaches intensified its efforts and closely coordinated with technical experts from the Directorate-General for Water to resolve the issue as swiftly as possible.
Recurrent Incidents
Beach closures in Orihuela Costa, often coinciding with peak tourist season, have been occurring more frequently in recent years.
Up until last summer, the municipality had proudly maintained Blue Flag status at all eleven of its beaches for six consecutive years. However, in 2023, under the new PP-Vox coalition government and a newly created Coastal Department, Cala La Mosca (also known as Playa Flamenca) faced a potential loss of its Blue Flag designation due to detected wastewater discharges.
At that time, the Association for Environmental Education and Consumer Affairs (ADEAC), the organization responsible for granting Blue Flags, announced the withdrawal of the award at that location. Fortunately, the issue was quickly resolved, and the flag was re-hoisted once water quality was confirmed to be excellent.
In 2024, however, the threat became a reality. Cala Estaca, the beach directly south of Cala La Mosca, lost its Blue Flag due to 鈥渄iffuse contamination鈥 and unidentified discharges, although the water was still deemed safe for swimming.
In late July of last year, both Cala La Mosca and La Glea in Campoamor had to close for four days due to similar contamination issues. Cala La Mosca鈥檚 Blue Flag couldn鈥檛 be raised again until 20 days later. This year, Cala Estaca regained its Blue Flag, but Cala La Mosca lost it.