The cold months are swiftly approaching, and each year, many Brits dream of escaping the frosts and relaxing in some winter sun. Tenerife is one of the most popular destinations for UK holidaymakers, but those visiting the Canary Islands hotspot need to heed an urgent warning issued by local authorities about one of the island’s most stunning beaches.
Playa Jardin in Puerto de la Cruz is one of the most stunning parts of the Tenerife coastline, with gorgeous views and the island’s trademark black sand. However, visitors to the hotspot have reportedly been banned from entering the water “indefinitely” due to health risks from contamination.
The swimming ban was first put in place earlier in the summer on 5 July, but reports have claimed it doesn’t seem likely it will be lifted any time soon. Tests were administered on the water earlier in the summer, which showed e.Coli was present, and this can have some seriously unpleasant consequences that would likely put a real dampener on your holiday.
In the last eight years, water quality has plummeted from being rated ‘excellent’ to ‘poor’, and holidaymakers have been banned from entering the water at all at Playa Jardin, with signs in multiple languages said to have been erected around the beach warning tourists of the risks of infection and gastrointestinal disease.
The local authorities have said of the swimming ban, “There is epidemiological evidence that this situation can cause gastrointestinal symptoms due to ingestion of water, as well as other types of conditions such as acute respiratory infections and infections of the ears, eyes, nasal passages, and skin
“This decision will be extended indefinitely and is a measure in response to the decline in water quality that has been occurring at least since 2016 in the Playa Jardín area and, above all, in this last year 2024.”
Marco González – Mayor of Puerto – is reported by The Metro to have expressed concerns that the water contamination issue will impact the number of tourists visiting the area, and therefore also have a ripple effect on the local economy, which relies heavily on tourism.
The Mayor expressed his hope that the water quality could improve “if all administrations prioritise the actions that are already not only planned but also have the necessary financing” – this is reported to include improvements to a water treatment plant and thorough examinations of pumping stations.
Millions of Brits head to Tenerife every year, but tourism has become a point of contention for some locals, many of whom believe the current model and number of visitors to the island is unsustainable. After a series of protests, a new tourism tax is set to be introduced from 1 January 2025, on protected sites like the volcano Mount Teide.
