In a statement, the Albufeira City Council indicated that the closure was ordered by the Portuguese Environment Agency (APA), following information sent by the Regional Health Administration about “another rupture detected” on 10 May in the pipeline of the Wastewater Pumping Station (WWTP).

The municipality states that Águas do Algarve, the company responsible for the management and operation of the multi-municipal sanitation system, “has already completed the repair work on the affected pipeline and reported that the flow stabilised on Sunday night, at which time the temporary discharge of wastewater into the receiving environment ceased”.

The municipality adds that “several complementary measures for mitigation and disinfection of the effluent discharged into the sea” have also been implemented, and the environmental incident is being monitored by the competent authorities.

The Albufeira City Council highlights “the good efforts of all entities involved,” but again warns of “the imperative urgency” to proceed with the necessary works for the maintenance and rehabilitation of the Algarve's sanitation infrastructure.

According to the municipality, these interventions are essential to put a “definitive end” to occurrences of this type, which it considers to be “increasingly frequent” in the region.