The authorities today banned the Olhos d’Água beach, in the municipality of Albufeira, in the Algarve, due to a microbiological contamination detected in the water, the captain of the port of Portimão told Lusa agency.
Speaking to Lusa, Eduardo Godinho said that the analyzes of the quality of the sea water carried out by the Portuguese Environment Agency (APA) indicate “microbiological contamination” in the water of that beach, and the regional health delegate ordered the beach to be banned from bathing.
The same source said that, after receiving the information from the health delegate, the maritime authorities raised the red flag on that beach, which will remain until new analyzes confirm that the water quality is restored and does not present risks to the health of bathers.
“The red flag was raised mid-morning,” said the Faro port captain, stressing that the APA will continue to test the seawater on the beach, as part of the regular testing of the quality of seawater that it does on Portuguese beaches.
This is the second case of beaches closed to bathing in the Algarve, after the beaches of Vale do Lobo and Quarteira, in the neighboring municipality of Loulé (Faro district), were subject to the same measure on Tuesday.
On Wednesday, the ban was lifted on those beaches.