A beach in one of Lanzarote's busiest tourist resorts has been temporarily closed to swimmers after sewage was discharged into the water. Yaiza Council confirmed this afternoon that the small beach in Playa Blanca has been closed and a red flag raised following a failure at a nearby pumping station.
Residents and holidaymakers have been told not to enter the water and to use other beaches in the south of Lanzarote while the problem is investigated and repaired.
The council confirmed that the incident has already been reported to the Lanzarote Water Consortium, which is responsible for dealing with the malfunction at the pumping facility.
Public Health officials are also carrying out water-quality tests. The beach will not be reopened until laboratory results establish that the water is once again suitable for bathing.
The closure affects the small beach at Playa Blanca, rather than automatically applying to every beach in the resort.
That distinction is important for tourists staying in the area, because the authorities have specifically advised swimmers to use alternative beaches in southern Lanzarote while the red flag remains in force.
Yaiza Council said it would announce when the affected beach can safely reopen.
The incident was caused by a breakdown at the pumping station close to the beach, according to the council's official statement.
No timetable has yet been given for completing the repair or receiving the final Public Health test results.
The closure is precautionary but mandatory: a red flag means bathing is prohibited, and the council has specifically asked both residents and visitors to respect the restriction.
The latest incident will also attract attention because the same small beach was reportedly temporarily closed earlier this summer following another pollution problem.
Repeated sewage incidents are particularly sensitive in resorts such as Playa Blanca because beaches form a major part of Lanzarote's tourism offering as well as being heavily used by local residents.
Waste-water systems in coastal resorts must cope not only with the permanent population but also with substantial visitor numbers, particularly during busy tourism periods.
However, today's official information only attributes this particular incident to a fault at the nearby pumping station. It does not state that the overall sewage system is failing, so broader conclusions would be premature.
For people currently in Playa Blanca, the message from Yaiza Council is straightforward: do not swim at the small beach while the red flag is displayed.
Other southern beaches remain the suggested alternative while the Lanzarote Water Consortium deals with the fault and Public Health completes its analysis.
The council has promised to issue a further announcement once the water is declared safe and the beach can reopen.
