Lisbon, Sept. 1, 2026 (Lusa) - The quality of bathing waters in mainland Portugal has deteriorated this year, with restrictions on bathing rising by 65% and beach closures more than doubling between May and July, according to an analysis published on Tuesday by the environmental organisation ZERO.
In a statement, the environmental organisation explains that the analysis was based on a comparison of the monthly reports from the Portuguese Environment Agency (APA) and national health authority (DGS) for May, June and July of the 2025 and 2026 bathing seasons.
From this analysis, ZERO concluded that restrictions rose from 51 (2025) to 84 (2026), representing a 65% increase, despite the number of beaches identified having fallen from 526 to 523.
Advisories rose from 34 to 45, whilst closures ordered by the health authorities rose from 17 to 39 – a rise of 129%. Microbiological contamination was the main cause in both cases, according to the same source.
«The number of closures due to microbiological contamination rose from 14 to 34, an increase of 143%, mainly in July,» ZERO pointed out, noting that 30 closures were recorded for this reason in that month – more than double the 14 recorded in the same period of 2025.
In a comprehensive review of the bathing season, with data available up to 30 August, ZERO identified 68 bathing waters across the country where the water was unfit for bathing at least once, totalling 87 incidents, whilst noting that it did not have complete data for the Azores and only partial information regarding Madeira.
Of these 68 bathing waters, 32 are inland, 29 are coastal and seven are transitional; inland waters accounted for 47% of the instances of water unfit for bathing, although they represent only around 30% of the bathing waters identified in mainland Portugal.
The environmental organisation highlighted the beaches at Unhais da Serra (Covilhã), with four instances of water unfit for bathing, and Cabedelo (Figueira da Foz), with three, whilst Matosinhos is the municipality with the highest number of affected bathing waters, totalling seven.
«ZERO expresses its concern at the failure, year after year, to reduce the number of instances of water unfit for bathing — the comparison made so far between the years 2025 and 2026 shows precisely the opposite, with a marked increase both in advisories against bathing and, above all, in closures due to microbiological contamination,» it warned.
As causes, the organisation pointed to «deficiencies in the sewerage network, agricultural and industrial discharges, and diffuse pollution».
«In addition to preventive measures, strong and systematic inspection is required, with a clear identification of responsibilities,» argues ZERO.
The association also highlighted that two of the 73 ‘Zero Pollution' beaches awarded the distinction in May this year were found to have water unfit for bathing in 2026 – namely Arda (Viana do Castelo) and Agudela (Matosinhos) – and will therefore be unable to retain that distinction in 2027.
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