Residents living near Ibiza Airport have raised fresh concerns over what they believe could be inadequately treated wastewater being used to irrigate the airport's green areas. Neighbours from Ca’n Frígoles and Ca’n Palleu say they have repeatedly witnessed watering operations accompanied by a strong unpleasant smell, with water accumulating on the ground and apparently overflowing the airport boundary towards a nearby stream.
The latest complaints, reported on 5 November 2026, come after a summer marked by water contamination allegations, independent laboratory analyses and an intervention by the Balearic Government concerning discharges into the Torrent de sa Font.
However, an important distinction remains: the composition of the water shown in the latest recordings has not yet been independently established. Residents suspect it is contaminated or inadequately treated wastewater, but the November footage alone does not prove that it contains sewage.
Residents Record Water Overflowing from Airport Grounds
The latest complaints concern watering operations in the airport's landscaped areas. A resident of Ca’n Frígoles recorded videos showing hoses being used to water a grassed area inside the airport grounds.
According to the resident, the water had a particularly unpleasant smell. The amount being used also appeared excessive, leaving the ground so saturated that water accumulated and passed over the boundary wall towards the nearby stream.
The footage was recorded close to the airport's new entrance from Sant Josep.
Elena Roig, secretary of the Veïnat de Ca’n Frígoles neighbourhood association, says reports of similar episodes have become frequent. Residents have reportedly been sharing videos and photographs approximately every week or two since the beginning of summer.
Roig has questioned why such large quantities of water are being used to irrigate the grass when the ground becomes so saturated that water runs beyond the airport perimeter.
The neighbours are particularly concerned about where this runoff eventually goes. The Torrent de sa Font runs alongside the airport and flows towards Es Codolar beach, which forms part of the Ses Salines Natural Park.
Earlier Summer Analyses Found Contamination
The latest complaints follow a series of concerns raised during the summer about the airport's wastewater treatment plant, known as the Estación Depuradora de Aguas Residuales (EDAR).
In August, Aliança per l’Aigua and several environmental, social and neighbourhood organisations presented results from four sampling campaigns conducted between June and July. According to the figures published by the organisations, none of the four sets of samples complied with the relevant standards for wastewater discharge and the reuse of treated water for irrigating green spaces.
The reported results included biological oxygen demand levels up to 17 times the applicable limit, suspended solids up to 18 times the limit and E. coli concentrations at least 12 times above the permitted level for irrigation water.
The organisations argued that the findings indicated repeated problems rather than an isolated incident and called for Aena to provide technical information about the treatment plant, including its design capacity, discharge volumes and the quality of the water entering the facility.
These were results presented by the organisations involved in the investigation and should be distinguished from the official samples collected by the authorities.
Es Codolar Beach Was Temporarily Closed in August
On 3 August, Sant Josep Town Hall detected a discharge at the Torrent de sa Font and collected its own water samples.
The council subsequently explained that the analysis confirmed faecal contamination, with elevated levels of E. coli and enterococci. As a precaution, part of Es Codolar beach was temporarily closed.
The issue also prompted action by the Balearic Government. On 25 August, the Directorate-General for Water Resources confirmed to La Voz de Ibiza that it had ordered the precautionary cessation of discharges of treated water into the stream, stating that those discharges were not authorised at that time.
The administrative proceedings remained open while the authorities awaited further analytical results to help determine the origin of the discharges and establish the circumstances surrounding the incidents.
The existence of that earlier order is significant, but it does not by itself establish that the water in the latest November recordings is the same water or that a new unauthorised discharge has been confirmed.
Neighbours Ask Aena for Wastewater Treatment Information
Frustrated by what they describe as a lack of information, the neighbourhood association has now formally requested further documentation from Aena.
On 24 October, it submitted a request through Aena's transparency portal, invoking Spain's Law 27/2006 on access to environmental information and Law 19/2013 on transparency.
The association is seeking the complete sludge-management plan for the Es Codolar wastewater treatment plant. Its members suspect that the document may not exist, although that has not been independently established.
The association also says it has struggled to establish direct communication with the airport's director, Marta Torres. It has reportedly contacted Sant Josep Town Hall every two or three weeks through the Local Police and has also been in contact with SEPRONA.
According to Roig, Guardia Civil officers have taken samples on several occasions, but the association has not received the results of those analyses since June.
The neighbours say they were informed during a meeting with the mayor in early August that some sample results were very poor, with the possibility of a beach closure being discussed. The subsequent temporary closure of part of Es Codolar followed.
Further Complaints Over Airport Lighting
The wastewater concerns are not the only issue being raised by residents living near the airport.
The association has also formally asked Sant Josep Town Hall to carry out a technical assessment of light pollution from an airport parking building, described as having four or five floors.
According to the neighbours, the building's windows remain open and its lights stay on throughout the night, creating significant disturbance for nearby homes.
Roig says the lighting makes it feel as if the area is permanently illuminated for Christmas, making it difficult for residents to sleep.
The association has also raised the issue with the Consell Insular d'Eivissa, following the approval of new regulations on light pollution.
Airport Expansion Adds to Residents' Concerns
The latest complaints are emerging amid wider opposition to Aena's proposed expansion of Ibiza Airport.
Residents of Ca’n Frígoles, Ca’n Palleu and sa Caleta are among those opposing the project. They argue that existing problems with the airport's infrastructure and environmental management should be addressed before further expansion is considered.
For the neighbours, the question is not only whether the airport can accommodate more passengers, but whether its current facilities are being managed properly.
The latest watering footage has renewed their concerns, but the key unanswered question remains the same: what is the water being used on the airport's green areas, and where does it go when it leaves the airport grounds?
Further information from Aena, together with the outstanding analytical results and the authorities' investigations, will be needed to establish whether the latest episodes represent another case of wastewater contamination.