An alert has been raised for the Canary Islands following concerns raised by experts about significant health risks. Spain, including the Canary Islands, has faced criticism from the Court of Justice of the European Union for inadequate management of urban wastewater discharges. Tenerife, in particular, has been highlighted as a major area of concern.
The recent ruling by the CJEU for violating the Urban Wastewater Directive has pinpointed 12 critical locations in Tenerife due to deficiencies in sewage collection systems, treatment facilities, and discharge monitoring into the sea. While no immediate penalties have been imposed, the Commission may take action if the issues are not promptly addressed.
The Tenerife Association of Friends of Nature (ATAN) has sounded the alarm over a health crisis, accusing Tenerife of jeopardizing the well-being of residents and tourists for an extended period. In 2025, several well-known beaches were closed due to fecal pollution, with instances of E. coli contamination exceeding safety limits.
The ongoing environmental challenges in Tenerife have come under scrutiny, with visible sewage discharges along the coastline during recent storms and heavy rains in early 2026. The European Union previously penalized Spain with substantial fines for repeated breaches related to inadequate sewage and treatment facilities.
Despite promises of financial support, Tenerife’s infrastructure for sewage processing has consistently fallen short of requirements, as evidenced by official data. The Canary Islands Government’s register of discharge points shows a significant number of unlicensed outlets, with Tenerife accounting for the majority.
The Canary Islands are grappling with water scarcity, strained infrastructure, and heavy dependence on imported food, leading to their inclusion in the Fodor’s No List 2026, which highlights destinations facing unsustainable tourism pressures. Tourism plays a central role in the Canary Islands’ economy, attracting millions of visitors annually.
Calls for a temporary halt to tourism expansion, improvements in sewage treatment infrastructure, independent audits of discharge points, and population control measures have been made by various advocacy groups. Island officials stress that current investments in sewage and wastewater treatment are at an all-time high, with ongoing projects aimed at addressing the environmental concerns.