Sant Antoni de Portmany temporarily closed s’Arenal beach to swimming on Sunday, September 20, after a wastewater spill reached the bathing area following a failure in the sewage network.

The Town Hall activated its safety protocol, prohibited swimming as a precaution and raised a red flag at the beach while the water was assessed.

Pump Failure Caused the Spill

The incident originated at a wastewater pumping station, where a piece of iron became lodged in an impulsion pump and caused it to fail.

According to the municipality, the breakdown resulted in wastewater flowing into the torrential channels of des Regueró and Buscastell before reaching the bathing area at s’Arenal.

The Town Hall reminded residents and businesses not to dispose of unauthorised objects or materials into the sewage system, as these can cause blockages and damage to the infrastructure.

Beach Closed as a Precaution

Once the spill was detected, the municipality immediately ordered the temporary closure of the bathing area.

A red flag was raised and swimming was prohibited while the authorities assessed the water quality.

The measure was described as preventive and was intended to protect bathers until the consequences of the spill could be properly assessed.

Water Samples Taken for Testing

The Town Hall urgently requested water samples from s’Arenal for laboratory analysis.

The testing is intended to determine whether the water meets the health requirements for bathing following the wastewater discharge.

The beach will not reopen until the spill has been completely eliminated and the analytical results confirm that the water is suitable for bathing.

Repair Work Completed

Municipal workers managed to repair the damaged pump after the failure was detected.

The system was expected to return to normal operation during the morning, while additional work was carried out in the affected area.

Cleaning and disinfection operations were also undertaken using hyperchlorination.

Authorities Continue Monitoring the Water

Although the mechanical failure was repaired, the repair alone was not enough to permit the beach to reopen.

Authorities must first establish that the wastewater spill has been fully contained and that the results of the water analysis meet the required sanitary standards.

Until that confirmation is available, swimming remains prohibited.

Not the First Wastewater Incident at s’Arenal This Year

The latest closure follows another wastewater-related incident at s’Arenal earlier in 2026.

In May, the beach was also temporarily closed after a separate sewage-system failure caused wastewater to reach the bathing area. That incident involved a broken pipe on Carrer dels Amaradors and was subsequently resolved following repairs and water-quality testing.

The September incident has a different immediate cause, with the municipality identifying an iron object blocking a sewage-pumping station's impulsion pump.

Importance of Keeping Sewage Systems Clear

Sant Antoni Town Hall has used the latest incident to remind people that objects and materials that do not belong in the sewage network can cause serious blockages and equipment failures.

The municipality says avoiding these obstructions is important for preventing breakdowns that can ultimately affect the environment and bathing areas.

What Happens Next

The immediate priorities are to complete the clean-up and disinfection work and analyse the water at s’Arenal.

The swimming restriction will remain in place until the relevant checks confirm that the water meets the necessary sanitary conditions.

The Town Hall will determine when the beach can safely reopen based on the results of those controls.

For now, the closure is being maintained as a precaution following the wastewater spill, while repair and water-quality measures continue.