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Date Published: 19/12/2023

Drinking water in parts of Almeria declared unsafe due to radioactivity

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Radioactive water found in Almería has been declared unfit for human consumption

Drinking water in parts of Almeria declared unsafe due to radioactivity

The Department of Health and Consumer Affairs of the Government of Andalusia, via the Territorial Delegation in Almería, has issued a resolution declaring that water in certain parts of the west of the province of Almería, including in the capital city, is unfit for human consumption due to the presence of radioactive material.

Specifically, the warning has been issued in the areas of La Joya, in the Pescadería neighbourhood, the district of Castell del Rey in the provincial capital city, as well as the water in the Aguadulce areas of the Hotel la Parra, Palmer, Mendoza, Espejo del Mar and La Gruta.

In its resolution, the Territorial Delegation indicates that the water supplied in said municipalities cannot be used for drinking or as an ingredient for food preparation. However, there is no health problem in using it for cleaning the home and washing dishes, or for personal hygiene uses.

The decision comes after evaluating the radionuclide values – the natural radioactivity of groundwater – subject to surveillance in drinking water of underground origin. They found higher than normal values, as indicated by the autonomous Administration in a press release, and this excess of natural radioactivity has been located in the latest analyses carried out by water company Aqualia.

Since the water is not fit for human consumption, the Junta de Andalucía regional government is obliged to provide water suitable for consumption as long as the situation persists. As such, tanker trucks full of safe drinking water are being used to dole out water to local residents. At certain specific times they may collect their share of water.

The restriction only affects these areas and “not the rest of the city, since it is only the water from the Pozos de Bernal that presents a problem,” the City Council of Almería has specified. This is because the affected areas get their water from ground wells, while the rest of the city receives a high percentage of desalinated water, so the supply in this case is secure.

Likewise, they have stressed that the radioactivity detected has “natural causes” as it is caused by the radiation emitted by certain minerals present in the rock and soil through which the groundwater of the Pozos del Bernal flows.

“Probably, the low level of the aquifers has influenced the increase in these levels of natural radioactivity,” they said.

The classification of water not suitable for consumption will be maintained until the detected levels are below the legal limits established by Royal Decree 03/2023, which establishes the technical-sanitary criteria for the quality of drinking water, and the Health Authority allows the lifting of this alert, which will be communicated when it happens.

The Health authorities have specified in this regard that to lift the prohibition, the operator must present a corrective plan that minimises the indicative dose of radioactivity below the parametric value, implement this plan provide proof of satisfactory analytical monitoring for at least three consecutive months.

The Almería City Council and Aqualia are analysing possible medium- to long-term technical solutions to be able to connect these areas of the city to the desalinated water supply area, which “would include a large-scale work to install a new pipe within the canal”.

Likewise, the City Council, through Aqualia, will provide free water suitable for consumption to affected residents during the period in which the restriction is maintained.

There is no limit to the number of litres each person can receive (within reason), filling up their bottles from the water trucks.

In the La Joya neighbourhood, water will be distributed on Avenida del Mar and Calle Huerta Cadenas from 9am to 11am and from 4pm to 6pm. In Castell del Rey, the distribution will be made at the beginning of Calle Alfonso XII from 8am to 9am and from 4pm to 5pm. At the La Gruta restaurant, water will be distributed from 9am to 9.30am and from 5pm to 5.30pm.

In the Espejo del Mar urbanisation, collections can be made from 9.30am to 10am and from 5.30pm to 6pm. In the El Palmer urbanisation, the distribution of water will be from 10am to 10.30am and from 6pm to 6.30pm while, finally, in the La Parra Diverhotel, near the popular tourist campsite, it will be distributed from 10.30am to 11am and from 6.30pm to 8.30pm.

For any clarification or additional information you need, you can go to the Aqualia office (Calle González Garbín, 32 in Almería city) or call the Aqualia Contact toll-free number at 0034 900 814 483, available 24 hours a day, every day of the week.

What is radioactivity in water?

Radioactivity is present naturally in our daily lives: in the nature that surrounds us, the soil, water, food, and even in ourselves, who are somewhat radioactive.

Groundwater, such as that from the Pozos del Bernal in Almería, is in contact with various natural minerals that are radionuclides, that is, they emit radiation. This is the case of lead, radium, polonium, radon, etc. They are minerals present in the Earth’s crust, dispersed by rocks and soils through which water flows. In the case of the province of Almería, the local volcanic geology itself makes it more likely that radioactivity will increase, since it has a higher concentration of this type of minerals in the subsoil.

Spanish and European health legislation requires that its presence in drinking water be analysed so that it does not exceed certain very strict levels.

Why is the water now radioactive?

Water has dissolved salts with radioactive properties (radionuclides), but water does not emit appreciable radiation, it can be touched and used except to ingest it (drink it or prepare meals).

These radionuclide minerals can appear in water from natural processes in the soil or due to human activities. In the case of Almería, this radioactivity is 100% natural, that is, there has not been any type of spill, nuclear accident or industrial/artificial activity or component that caused it.

This is what is known as “alpha radioactivity”, caused because these radionuclide minerals through which the groundwater flows have been filtered.

Probably, the low level of the aquifers has influenced the increase in these levels of natural radioactivity.

How do I know if my tap water is affected?

To the naked eye, the water has a normal appearance, smell and taste; it is not detectable unless it is analysed in a laboratory. All municipal water services in Spain are required to carry out a certain number of analyses per year that must be reported to the Health Authority, both of the Autonomous Community (Ministry of Health) and the State (Ministry of Health). In these analyses, among many other aspects, the levels of 5 different parameters related to radioactivity are measured, according to Royal Decree 03/2023, which establishes the technical-sanitary criteria for the quality of drinking water, its control and supply.

If there is a non-compliance with one of these parameters, as is the case now, the competent Health Authority decrees the water as NOT SUITABLE and gives instructions to the City Council and the service management company on what uses can or cannot be made of that water, so that in turn be transferred to the citizens.

What happens if I have drunk radioactive water?

Spanish health legislation, extrapolated from European legislation, is very strict, with maximum levels well below the recommendations of the World Health Organisation (WHO).

The Spanish Ministry of Health indicates in a study on the subject that “The typical concentrations of radionuclides in drinking water are very small, there is no danger of acute health effects due to radiation.”

Only a person who has consumed large amounts of water with excess radioactivity continuously for a long period of time could have some type of consequence on their health, but this is not the case as the problem has been detected recently.

Can I eliminate radioactivity if I boil water?

NO. In fact, it can increase the concentration of these minerals as part of the water evaporates due to boiling.

Can I use the water to shower, run the washing machine, dishwasher, etc.?

YES. The Health Authority has indicated that water should not be used for uses that include ingestion (drinking and/or cooking), but for other uses, such as household appliances, cleaning, or personal hygiene.

Image 1: Archive

Image 2: Aqualia

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