Puerto de la Cruz Mayor Admits Receiving Health Warning After Denying Contamination Reports
Puerto de la Cruz Mayor Leopoldo Afonso has admitted that the City Council received a public health warning regarding microbiological contamination at Playa Jardín in June, contradicting his previous claims that no such notification was issued.
The handling of the health crisis at Playa Jardín has taken a sharp turn after Puerto de la Cruz Mayor Leopoldo Afonso addressed the municipal council. According to local reports, the mayor has now admitted that the City Council did receive an official warning from the Directorate General of Public Health regarding microbiological contamination on the coast between June 22 and 24, 2026.
This admission contradicts the mayor’s statements from just four days earlier, when he insisted during a press conference that the council had received no such warning. The timing is particularly sensitive, as the contamination occurred during the San Juan festivities, when crowds of bathers were visiting the El Charcón area, where the high levels of microorganisms were recorded.
Under Royal Decree 1341/2007, authorities are required to communicate immediately when wastewater contamination is detected so that beaches can be closed as a precaution. While the City Council acknowledges receiving the email, officials claim they did not see it until the 24th. In the meantime, the council commissioned its own private water tests. The mayor used the results of these tests—which have not yet been made public—to justify keeping the beach open.
The Directorate General of Public Health maintains that it followed all proper procedures, including uploading the warning to the national Náyade system, the official platform for health restrictions. This breakdown in communication is especially concerning following the 2024 crisis, when Playa Jardín was closed for nearly a year due to sewage treatment issues. That incident left the public wary, and this latest lack of transparency has only deepened that distrust.
The situation is further complicated by the fact that the City Council previously issued an official certificate, signed by the municipal secretary, denying that any warning had been received during those critical days. While the local PSOE party is demanding answers, the municipal government insists that once they were aware of the warning, they notified the Directorate General of their actions. It remains unclear why the council chose to prioritize private test results over the guidance of public health authorities.