It has been two months since Playa Jardín, one of the most renowned tourist spots in the northern part of the island of Tenerife, situated in the municipality of Puerto de la Cruz, a pioneer of mass tourism since the 1960s, was closed for swimming activities.
Its dark sands and volcanic formations extending into the sea, with the majestic Teide looming in the distance, have attracted international visitors for many years. However, only a handful of brave souls choose to lounge and sunbathe on this beach since the local council cordoned off the area at the start of summer due to an excessive presence of pathogens in the water. This issue arose from a break in an underwater outfall that discharges sewage just a few metres from the shore.
Two months later, the situation remains dire, and despite the significant number of tourists and locals flocking to the area, no alterations have occurred.
This Friday, the Government of the Canary Islands convened a coordination meeting with the Cabildo de Tenerife and the City Council to evaluate the situation and announced that they have commenced analysis at up to 15 points between Punta Brava and San Telmo to assess water quality.
The meeting featured the attendance of Ángel Montañés, the Director General of Ecological Transition and the Fight Against Climate Change; José Fernando Díaz-Flores, the Director General of Public Health; Antonio Acosta, the Director General of Coasts and Maritime Space Management; Blanca Pérez, the Councillor for the Natural Environment, Sustainability, Security, and Emergencies of the Cabildo; Leopoldo Afonso, the Mayor of Puerto de la Cruz; and Javier Davara, the Manager of the Tenerife Island Water Council, alongside technicians from the relevant administrations.
During the meeting, convened by the Directorate General for Ecological Transition and the Fight against Climate Change, Ángel Montañés emphasised that efforts have been “intensified”, “implementing quick and coordinated actions”. The beach has been closed since July 4, and according to the Ministry, “inspections and analysis have begun at 15 distinct points around Punta Brava, Playa Jardín, and San Telmo.”
Consequently, fieldwork is being conducted with site visits to facilities and the coastal region, alongside measurements both on land and at sea, in addition to compiling a list of possible sources of marine pollution.
“These samples will be analysed to ascertain the quality of the water in the vicinity, identify potential spills, and manage as well as control the pollution in the area,” he stated.
José Fernando Díaz-Flores shared insights on recent findings following the intensification of the sampling analysis process in the Punta Brava vicinity, expressing his full collaboration in obtaining this data to conduct the necessary studies.
Antonio Acosta explained the measures his department is taking to secure, as swiftly as possible, the required sectorial authorisations, mainly tethered to administrative procedures governed by the Ministry of Ecological Transition and Demographic Challenge, which are essential for undertaking the substantial purification works needed by the municipality.
Repair of the Emissary
Blanca Pérez confirmed that work on the emissary has been underway since last week.
“At the beginning of August, we commenced repairs on the underwater leak, yet our technicians encountered technical challenges. Last week we declared an emergency for the work, with an investment of 201,000 euros, to implement various actions on both land and at sea within the outfall, so as to resolve the issue as quickly as possible,” he stated.
On behalf of the Puerto de la Cruz City Council, Mayor Leopoldo Afonso discussed the improvements being proposed for the municipal sanitation network and the directive given by the new government team to prioritise the legalisation process of the municipality’s pumping stations.
Pollution in Tenerife Waters
This is not the first instance of this beach having to close due to elevated levels of pathogens in its waters. In fact, it often appears on the list of beaches that are periodically impacted by this type of contamination. Despite being a well-known issue, these episodes recur annually without a clear resolution, similar to incidents seen at El Médano Beach in Granadilla (southern island) or La Pinta Beach in Adeje, which has already seen two closures this summer for the same reason as Playa Jardín: faecal contamination.
