Eastern Beach passes latest water quality tests amid Spanish coast contamination

Water quality at Eastern Beach is compliant with EU laws despite sewage overflows affecting parts of the neighbouring Spanish coastline, according to the Environmental Agency which regularly tests local bathing water.

The findings come as bathing has been temporarily banned at Levante Beach in La Línea after routine water quality tests detected contamination levels above permitted limits.

High readings of faecal matter were recorded at Western Beach over a particular day in mid May.

The overflows, seen on neighbouring Spain’s Mediterranean coast, have raised concerns about potential impacts on Gibraltar’s bathing waters. However, the Environmental Agency told GBC there has been no corresponding deterioration in water quality at Eastern Beach.

The latest sampling results, taken on the 27th of May, found Eastern Beach to be compliant with the required bathing water standards.The Environmental Agency conducts regular bathing water monitoring throughout the year, testing for indicators of faecal contamination to ensure our beaches remain safe for public use. Under the EU Bathing water directive, monitoring focuses on E. coli and intestinal enterococci, feacal matter-two recognised indicators of potential sewage contamination.

The latest results show all of Gibraltar’s designated bathing waters meet the required standards. This includes Western Beach, which saw significantly elevated readings in mid-May. All results can be found on the Environmental Agency website, where it notes that current bathing water standards are twice as strict as those in place before 2015. 

The Environmental Agency says it tests waters every two weeks between mid-April and the end of October, despite only being legally required to sample them once every four weeks.