Swimming ban imposed at Albufeira beaches after sewage pipe burst – Portugal Resident
Swimming has been banned on the INATEL and Pescadores beaches in Albufeira following a sewage leak, the municipal council has announced.
The ban has been imposed by the Portuguese Environment Agency (APA) after health officials raised the alarm on Monday.
The problem started when a pipe burst at a local pumping station, sending wastewater straight into the sea. Águas do Algarve, the company in charge of the region’s sanitation system, has already fixed the leak and confirmed the flow was back under control by 10.50pm last night, stopping any more waste from reaching the water.
Meanwhile, clean-up crews have been working to disinfect the area, while authorities continue keeping a close eye on the situation.
While the council thanked everyone for their quick work, they warned that these types of leaks are happening far too often. Local leaders are now calling for an “urgent” overhaul of the Algarve’s ageing sewage pipes to stop this from happening again.
