Panic in Canary Islands as popular Lanzarote beach closes for grim reason

A local authority on the holiday island of Lanzarote has been forced to close one of its popular beaches after suspected sewage leaks were detected nearby. Authorities in Arrecife on the east coast of the top Canary island ordered the temporary closure of Playa de El Reducto after the leak was detected near Punta del Camello.

The situation has also provoked legal action from the local council against Consorcio del Agua de Lanzarote and its network management company, Canal Gestión Lanzarote. According to the council, this is not the first time discharges have been recorded in this part of the coastline, which heightens concerns about the state of the wastewater infrastructure in the area. This latest incident follows repeated calls by local leaders to water authorities to prevent further leaks. As a precautionary measure, the Department of Beaches and Environment has closed El Reducto to the public and issued an advisory warning for people to stay out of the water.

Health technicians are currently analysing water samples to determine the extent of the contamination before any decision is made to reopen the beach, according to Canarian Weekly.

Mayor Yonathan de León has repeatedly called on water authorities in Lanzarote to carry out the necessary works to prevent further leaks. A recent report by the Gobierno de Canarias identified several facilities in Arrecife that require urgent updates to meet environmental standards and prevent wastewater from reaching the sea.

This latest sewage leak comes after the Tenerife Cabildo was fined €400 (£347) for wastewater discharges that closed a popular beach for nearly 11 months earlier this year. The governing body of the popular Canary Island was fined by the archipelago's Agency for the Protection of the Natural Environment for wastewater discharges that led to the closure of Playa Jardín beach in Puerto de la Cruz for nearly a year.

Playa Jardín, a major tourist attraction composed of three distinct coves, Castillo, El Charcón and Punta Brava, was officially designated as not fit for bathing from July 2024 until mid-June 2025 due to repeated poor water quality.

Closer to home, earlier this summer, untreated sewage was released into the sea at 139 coastal locations across the UK in just 48 hours, raising health concerns and prompting warnings for beach visitors. This included beaches in Cornwall, Kent and Sussex, in resorts such as Salcombe, St Leonards-On-Sea and Herne Bay.

County Durham recorded 323 overflows, North Yorkshire had 305, and Leeds had 145, The Telegraph reported, using data from Stream, a collaboration between UK water companies and various partners focused on using water data to support customers, communities and environmental goals.