The Puerto de la Cruz City Council has announced the reopening of Playa Jardín for swimming, following official confirmation from the Tenerife Health Area Directorate. The beach had been temporarily closed due to detected levels of E. coli in recent analyses.
The closure had caused concern among local residents and businesses, who observed a significant drop in the number of bathers during the summer. The controversy intensified after the release of an analysis from June 22nd indicating fecal contamination in an area near the Punta Brava neighborhood.
In an effort to allay concerns about water quality, the mayor, Leopoldo Afonso (PP), and the first deputy mayor, David Hernández (ACP), emulated Fraga's gesture in Palomares in 1966 by bathing in the affected area. This act, shared on social media, sparked varied reactions, from support for the local government's management to sarcastic criticism and accusations of ridicule.
The PSOE, through its Tenerife general secretary, Tamara Raya, and former mayor Marco González, had questioned the potential concealment of the June 22nd analysis. Although the mayor initially denied such accusations, he later admitted that the email containing the results had arrived and was not properly communicated internally.
Public Health explained that sample collection followed the official calendar and that the results indicated short-term microbiological contamination, which was communicated to the council for appropriate measures. They stated that usual channels were followed and the temporary ban was requested for the specific sampling point Playa Jardín PM5 (commonly known as Playa Chica or El Charcón).
Despite the reopening, the controversy persists. The local government maintains that it was an isolated incident and that the controversy is fueled by the PSOE for political gain. However, the decrease in bathers and criticism regarding information management continue to be central to the debate.
