Bright green water raises concerns at Los Alcázares beaches

Los Alcázares Town Council has issued a statement after images of the unusual green colour flooded social media and prompted concern among residents

Los Alcázares Town Council made a statement to reassure residents after parts of the Mar Menor turned a bright green colour on Monday. People on the beaches noticed the unusual colour on August 24 and took to social media to share photos and ask what was happening in the Mar Menor.

The bright green patches understandably raised concerns about whether something had entered the water, particularly given the environmental sensitivity of the lagoon.

However, the town council has said there is no risk to bathers or to the marine environment.

According to the council, the green colour was linked to filtration tests being carried out as part of ongoing sewerage works in Los Alcázares.

The company Pronorte, responsible for the works, has been conducting tests on the local sewerage system. The council said the product used during those tests reached the Mar Menor, causing the unusual green colouring seen along parts of the beaches.

The municipality said the substance is a natural and harmless dye and that its presence does not mean the lagoon has been polluted.

Once the incident was reported, the source of the filtration was identified and checks were carried out to establish whether the product posed any risk to people or the environment.

The council said those checks confirmed that it does not cause contamination in the Mar Menor and does not pose a risk to bathers.

It also said the colour should gradually disappear on its own and that the product will not have a harmful effect on the marine ecosystem or the quality of the water.

Los Alcázares Town Council thanked the people who reported the unusual colour, as well as the emergency services that responded to enquiries from concerned members of the public.

The council also stressed that the incident should not be confused with a pollution event.

It added that if further checks identified any contaminating substance or a breach of environmental regulations, the appropriate proceedings would be opened.

For now, the municipality says the green colour is the result of the sewerage testing and that there is no risk to people enjoying the Mar Menor beaches.

Read also:Spain's Wildfires May Be Dying Down But Experts Warn The Real Danger Is Only Just Beginning

Image: Artistic representation