The latest health checks carried out by Sa Pobla Town Council on the public water supply have detected occasional deviations in the concentration of nitrates above the maximum levels established by regulations, and the water is therefore considered unfit for human consumption. The Town Council recommends not using tap water for drinking or cooking until further notice. For all other uses, it can continue to be used in complete safety.
The Town Council has indicated that ‘the limitations of the water treatment plant, which was inaugurated in 2007 and designed for a smaller population than the current one, prevent it from meeting the municipality’s current water demand’. The reduction in losses in the water network has not prevented the removal of nitrates from the necessary flow from being guaranteed, due to the increase in demand in recent years.
The Town Council has announced that it is working to resolve the situation ‘as soon as possible’ and is asking the population to keep up to date with the latest information on the municipal website and official social media channels. Among the proposed solutions is connection to the high-pressure network through an agreement with the Regional Ministry of the Sea and Water Cycle to supply drinking water from the northern network, which connects to the Alcudia desalination plant.
Improvements to the water treatment plant are also being called for. The renovation of the membranes in the current plant has been put out to tender to alleviate the situation temporarily.
Nitrates in drinking water can be a health concern, particularly for infants, and are primarily addressed through monitoring and regulations to ensure levels stay within safe limits.
High nitrate levels in drinking water can cause methemoglobinemia, also known as “blue baby syndrome,“ in infants. The maximum acceptable concentration (MAC) for nitrate in drinking water is 45 mg/L, equivalent to 10 mg/L measured as nitrate-nitrogen