Certain municipalities in Mallorca continue to have issues with the supply of water fit for human consumption. The regional ministry for the sea and water cycle admits "there is no single, up-to-date and easily accessible source of data that compiles information on the potability of water municipality by municipality", the most systematic source being the national ministry of health's drinking water information system (SINAC).
This collates all the analyses on which annual reports on drinking water quality in Spain are based. Based on the SINAC data, the ministry refers to the situation as of December 31, 2023, when there were issues in nine of Mallorca's 53 municipalities - Ariany, Costitx, Felanitx, Manacor, Santa Margalida, Santanyi, Sencelles, Sineu and Vilafranca.
In four of these (Costitx, Santanyi, Sineu and Vilafranca), the entire mains water supply was considered unsuitable in all population centres. In the others, the situation was mixed. The quality varied; in some areas the water was safe, in others it was not.
High levels of nitrites and salinity are the main quality problems. These largely stem from a dependence on water extracted from local wells because the mains supply isn't connected to the Abaqua water agency's network.
Ariany was connected to this network in September. Other projects for connection relate to Manacor, Maria de la Salut, Petra and Sineu. In the case of Manacor, the pipeline will go to coastal resorts such as Calas de Mallorca, where there is a reliance on local aquifers.
"In the municipalities that connect to the main network, a clear and stable improvement in quality is expected. By being able to mix more desalinated water and groundwater, nitrate and salinity levels, which currently force water to be declared unfit for consumption, will be reduced. However, the problem will not disappear overnight. Aquifers take years to recover. Even if water extraction is reduced, strict controls will still be necessary," says the water resources department.