The bathing water at Es Pouet in Sant Antoni has been confirmed as suitable for swimming following the water discharge recorded on September 1.

Laboratory tests taken from the bathing area returned negative results for E. coli and intestinal enterococci, the microbiological indicators used to assess the sanitary quality of bathing water.

The results rule out fecal contamination affecting the bathing area in connection with the incident.

Water Was Traced to the Stormwater Network

The original incident occurred on September 1, when water was seen flowing towards the beach after rainfall.

Sant Antoni Town Hall and water concessionaire Facsa investigated the source and determined that the water came from the stormwater drainage network rather than the sewage system.

A conductivity measurement taken at the time registered 526 microsiemens per centimetre.

The municipality compared this with typical wastewater conductivity levels of between 3,000 and 5,000 microsiemens per centimetre, arguing that the measurement was consistent with rainwater.

Preventive Samples Taken at the Beach

Although officials did not close Es Pouet or prohibit swimming at the time, samples were taken from the bathing area as a precaution.

The municipality said this was necessary because rainwater flowing through urban areas can pick up contaminants before reaching the sea.

Those samples have now produced negative results for both E. coli and enterococci.

The tests provide laboratory confirmation that the bathing water itself remained suitable following the September 1 episode.

Beach Remained Open

The beach was never closed during the incident.

Lifeguards informed beach users and monitored the situation, while officials determined that only a small amount of water had reached the bathing area.

Because there was no confirmed contamination, authorities did not consider a bathing restriction necessary.

The subsequent laboratory results have now supported that decision.

Disagreement Over Independent Sampling

The latest results have not ended the disagreement surrounding the incident.

Environmental group Salvem sa Badia had separately taken samples after raising concerns about a possible sewage discharge.

Sant Antoni Town Hall says it does not dispute the results obtained by the group, but questions the procedure used to collect them and the location from which the samples were taken.

The municipality maintains that official bathing-water tests must be collected by authorised personnel at designated sampling points established by the health authorities.

Earlier August Incident Also Investigated

The September episode was not the first time this summer that water flowing towards Es Pouet raised concerns.

A similar incident occurred on August 17.

According to the municipality, the analyses carried out following that episode also showed no evidence of a wastewater discharge.

Sant Antoni has therefore maintained that neither incident resulted in confirmed sewage contamination of the bathing area.

Regular Monitoring Continues

The municipality says Es Pouet is subject to regular water-quality monitoring throughout the bathing season.

It also states that its sampling procedures are subject to annual independent auditing as part of the environmental management systems associated with the beaches' EMAS and ISO 14001 certifications.

The aim is to ensure that any unusual event can be investigated quickly while maintaining consistent procedures for determining bathing-water quality.

What the Results Mean

The latest tests provide a clear distinction between the appearance of the original discharge and the actual microbiological condition of the bathing water.

The sight of water flowing towards the sea prompted concerns about a possible sewage leak, but the municipality's investigation identified the source as stormwater.

The subsequent samples from the bathing area were negative for E. coli and enterococci.

That does not mean rainwater runoff can never carry contaminants, which is precisely why preventive sampling was carried out. In this instance, however, the tests did not find fecal contamination affecting Es Pouet's bathing water.

Es Pouet Remains Suitable for Bathing

The latest laboratory results have brought the September 1 episode to a clearer conclusion.

The water was identified as coming from the stormwater network, the beach remained open and the official samples taken from the bathing zone showed no E. coli or enterococci.

For residents and visitors, the result provides reassurance that the bathing water at Es Pouet was suitable following the incident.

At the same time, the disagreement over independent sampling highlights the importance of using consistent and officially recognised procedures when assessing water quality during unusual coastal discharges.