The Municipal Council of Alcala de los Gazules, Cádiz province, has today declared the local water supply unfit for drinking due to contamination by pesticides.
The move comes after the Agencia Andaluza del Agua (Andalucia Water Board) informed the Council that it had detected traces of pesticide in the water supply above the designated ‘norms’. Although the levels are not significant or a danger, they do nonetheless exceed the statutory ‘norm’ and therefore the water has to be declared unfit for human consumption either by drinking or using for food preparation.
The water can still be used for personal hygiene, household cleaning etc.
Around 5,800 people are affected by this prohibition and the Council is arranging for tankers to supply drinking water to the local population. The prohibition order is expected to stay in place for a few days.