Sant Antoni Town Hall has clarified the circumstances surrounding a recent water discharge at es Pouet beach, saying its checks found that the water came from the stormwater drainage network and not from the sewage system.

The clarification follows reports and images shared after water appeared on the beach, with environmental group Salvem sa Badia describing the incident as a possible sewage discharge.

The town hall says its municipal services and water concessionaire Facsa investigated the source of the water and found no leak from the sewage network.

Town Hall Says It Was Rainwater

According to Sant Antoni Town Hall, technicians carried out measurements to determine the nature of the water.

One of the tests measured the water's electrical conductivity at 526 microsiemens per centimetre.

The municipality says this figure is considerably below the levels normally associated with wastewater, which it says are generally at least 3,000 to 5,000 microsiemens per centimetre.

Based on this measurement, the town hall concluded that the water was from the stormwater drainage network.

The municipality explained that after rainfall, it is normal for accumulated rainwater to be discharged through designated drainage points.

The Beach Remained Open

The incident prompted lifeguards to follow their established response protocol and inform people on the beach.

However, the town hall says the amount of water reaching the bathing area was minimal and that there was no confirmed evidence of contamination.

As a result, authorities did not consider it necessary to close the beach or prohibit swimming.

The municipality says such measures would normally require evidence of actual contamination affecting the bathing area.

Water Samples Taken as a Precaution

Although the initial measurements indicated stormwater, municipal services also took water samples from the bathing area as a precaution.

The reason was that rainwater running through urban areas can potentially collect contaminants before reaching the sea.

At the time of the town hall's statement, the results of those samples were still pending.

This distinction is important because the municipality's initial assessment that the source was stormwater does not, by itself, establish the final quality of the water in the bathing area. The additional laboratory analysis was intended to provide further information.

What Happened at Es Pouet?

The episode came after rainfall in the area, when water was observed flowing towards the beach.

Images and video circulated on social media, with Salvem sa Badia raising concerns that the water could have been sewage.

A separate report published the previous day said the environmental group believed the discharge had reached the sea and questioned why the beach remained open.

Sant Antoni Town Hall subsequently rejected the description of the incident as a sewage discharge.

The municipality said that the organisation had not contacted the town hall before publicising its interpretation of the incident and called for greater care when reporting on situations involving bathing-water quality.

No Sewage Leak Found

The town hall's central point is that its investigation did not identify a leak from the sewage network.

Instead, the water was traced to the stormwater system.

The municipality says the conductivity measurement supported this conclusion and that its technical teams followed the established procedures for dealing with this type of incident.

It also said that official water-quality analyses carried out regularly at es Pouet throughout the season had shown that the bathing water was suitable for swimming.

Why Stormwater Can Still Matter

Even when water originates from a stormwater network rather than a sewage system, it can still carry material collected from streets, drains and other surfaces before reaching the sea.

This is why the municipality decided to take additional samples despite determining that there had been no sewage leak.

The results of those samples would provide a further indication of the actual condition of the water in the bathing area following the incident.

Two Different Accounts

The episode highlights the importance of distinguishing between what was observed and what was confirmed.

Salvem sa Badia raised concerns about a possible sewage discharge based on what it saw at the beach.

Sant Antoni Town Hall, after carrying out checks with Facsa, said the water was from the stormwater network and that there was no sewage leak.

At the time of the municipality's statement, additional water-quality samples were still being analysed.

For visitors and residents, the most important question is therefore not simply where the water came from, but whether the bathing water was safe.

The town hall maintained that there was no confirmed contamination requiring the closure of es Pouet, while the additional testing was intended to provide further reassurance.

The Situation at Es Pouet

The incident comes amid continued attention to water quality and sewage infrastructure across Ibiza.

Es Pouet is located in the Bay of Sant Antoni, an area where water quality, drainage and wastewater management are particularly relevant during the busy summer season.

For now, Sant Antoni Town Hall's official explanation is that the recent discharge was stormwater rather than sewage.

The municipality has also said that its regular official analyses at the beach have continued to show water quality suitable for bathing.

The results of the additional samples taken after this particular incident were still pending when the town hall issued its clarification.

Source: Sant Antoni Town Hall