The Telde City Council in Gran Canaria has temporarily closed Melenara beach following the detection of high levels of enterococci in the water. This closure, announced on Friday, was prompted by a recommendation from the Gran Canaria Health Directorate after testing samples from the beach last Wednesday.
Mayor Juan Antonio Peña issued a decree prohibiting swimming to protect public health, aligning with health authorities’ advice.
Tests conducted by the Public Health Laboratory revealed unacceptable concentrations of enterococci in the beach’s northern area. The council has emphasised that this precautionary measure is in response to health guidelines.
Authorities are currently unsure what caused this spike in water quality issues, but they suspect warmer sea temperatures recently and increased beachgoer numbers due to good weather may be contributing factors. They have also not ruled out possible terrestrial influences or marine currents from deeper waters, although none of these explanations are confirmed and further investigation is needed.
Notably, no similar results have been found at other nearby beaches, meaning this issue is limited to Melenara at present.
The beach will remain closed for several days, with new tests scheduled for Tuesday, 3 November, to assess the water’s microbiological condition. The reopening will depend on obtaining favourable results, with the safety of bathers remaining the priority, according to Mayor Peña.
The mixed company Aguas de Telde has begun investigations into the incident, examining the sewage systems for any anomalies that could be linked to the issue.
