Porto kicks off the bathing season with nine Blue Flag beaches

20/06/2023

The bathing season in Porto begins this Saturday and the coastal edge of the city once again bears the distinctive Blue Flag on nine beaches. Until September 10, bathers can enjoy these places with all the equipment and proper cleaning. Surveillance and assistance are provided by lifeguards.

This Saturday, Summer officially “returns” to the four bathing areas of the city, consisting of ten beaches in Porto – Pastoras, Carneiro, Ourigo, Ingleses, Luz, Gondarém, Molhe, Homem do Leme, Aquário and Castelo do Queijo. The coastline of Invicta (Porto City) once again displays nine blue flags already approved by the European Blue Flag Association (ABAE). The final inspection will take place next Tuesday, June 20, the day marked by the official hoisting of the flags.

It should be noted that the Blue Flag is a distinction awarded to beaches that comply with a set of requirements related to excellence in water quality, public information and environmental education, safety and services provided. In addition to this award, we also highlight the beaches of Carneiro and Homem do Leme, considered “Accessible Beach – Beach for All!”, for meeting the conditions of access and use by people with limited mobility. Among the available infrastructures are dedicated parking spaces for people with reduced mobility, adapted sanitary facilities, amphibious wheelchair for access to the bath, adapted emergency room and accessible route network.

Homem do Leme beach is also distinguished with the “Gold Quality” award, awarded annually by the environmental association Quercus, due to the excellent quality of its water. It is recalled that only beaches, which, over five consecutive years, have been rated excellent, regarding water quality – maintaining a good assessment of physical, chemical, biological, and microbiological parameters – can receive the “Gold Quality” classification. The prize shall be awarded based on the official public information available, considering exclusively the analyses carried out in the laboratories of the different regional hydrographic administrations.

At the basis of the award of these distinctions is a strong commitment and investment of the Municipality of Porto, which, through the municipal company Águas e Energia do Porto, ensures the quality of services, equipment, and quality control of bathing waters. Over the years, the municipality has adopted a set of management measures that have contributed to a significant improvement in the quality of bathing water, namely the elimination of illegal discharges of polluted rainwater and surface water, the consolidation of the strategy of connecting all buildings to the public wastewater network, as well as the daily monitoring of bathing water quality. This is an effort that has allowed us to achieve historical results in the quality of the beaches and recognition by the main entities of the sector.

Cleaning the sand twice a day, seven days a week

Since 2021, the cleaning operations of Porto’s beaches have been in charge of the municipal company Porto Ambiente. These works, carried out throughout the year, involve mechanical and human means and are, at this time, reinforced with a frequency of twice a day, seven days a week, from June to September.

The cleaning of the sand to remove waste and the collection of ecopoints and paper racks to support the beaches, the oxygenation of the sand and its disinfection using a beach cleaner and regular cleaning (washing and disinfection) in the surrounding area, namely in the accesses and walkways, with the help of mechanical means are the main activities carried out daily by a team that includes about 20 people. Apart from the human resources that clean the sand and accesses twice a day, all work carried out with mechanical means is carried out in the morning, to avoid the clusters of vacationers.

From this Saturday, bathers will be able to enjoy these quintessential summer spaces, which, in addition to the excellent natural conditions, have all the necessary equipment and services, such as three first aid stations. In addition to the various sanitary facilities, there are also ten drinking fountains, 13 showers, 18 information panels, ten sets of selective waste collection equipment, a chewing gum collector, and wireless internet, through the free service of the city Porto Free Wifi, among others. In an effort for continuous improvement, Águas e Energia do Porto also provides an online satisfaction and evaluation questionnaire for all visitors to Porto Beaches.