In the southeast of Spain, where the borders of Almería and Murcia intersect, locals are no longer surprised when the river suddenly turns pink. This is not an art project or an advertising stunt, but the result of years of wastewater discharges that, since 2012, have marred the appearance of what was once a pristine stream. The river, which begins in the mountains known as Claros, changes its name along the way to Vélez or Corneros, and then flows into a reservoir where the Guadalentín—the main tributary of the Segura—originates. In certain sections of the riverbed, especially in arid areas, the pollution problem is felt most acutely.
In early autumn 2025, political parties again raised the issue of pollution. In Murcia, representatives of left-wing parties demanded immediate action, while in Andalucía, VOX insisted on transparency from regional authorities. The matter even went to court: in the summer of 2024, a court in Almería acquitted the mayor of Vélez-Rubio, who had been accused of pollution, ruling that the municipality had neither the authority nor the resources to build treatment facilities. However, the judge confirmed that the discharges had indeed worsened water quality and affected local groundwater.
The situation is complicated by the fact that water management in this region is overseen not only by local authorities but also by the central government. At one time, the regional government introduced a special tax to improve water infrastructure, which residents pay monthly, but it is the autonomous government that manages these funds. Over the years, as administrations changed, the opposition repeatedly accused their predecessors of ineffective use of the collected funds. The new cabinet, led by Juan Manuel Moreno, has prioritized water projects, and now it is the turn of constructing a modern wastewater treatment plant in Vélez-Rubio. More than 10 million euros have been allocated for this purpose, and the facility is expected to resolve a problem that has persisted for over ten years. Authorities admit the issue was previously ignored, but now promise change.
The wastewater treatment plant project was included in the regional plan back in 2010, but due to bureaucratic delays and complex environmental approvals, work was postponed for years. Only after a change in administration did the project finally move forward. The site for the new station was chosen by an independent company, and now the project has obtained all the necessary permits. The facility is expected to help Spain meet European Commission requirements, as the country is regularly fined for insufficient wastewater treatment in towns with populations over 15,000. This is also important news for local farmers and ranchers, who hope they will no longer have to worry about water quality. Regional authorities emphasize that they are also developing other water projects in parallel, including the construction of desalination plants, to ensure a sustainable water supply under drought conditions.
