Tap water has been classified as not fit for human consumption in two towns in Malaga province.
It comes after tests detected elevated levels of chlorates, prompting authorities to order residents to drink bottled water until further notice.
The affected municipalities are El Borge and Iznate, both situated in the Axarquia region.
Health authorities ruled the water supply for both villages unsuitable after chlorate levels exceeded the new legal limit of 0.7 mg/l, established under Royal Decree 3/2023, which came into force on January 2.
Both municipalities have around 1,000 residents.
The public water company Axaragua, which supplies the area, said the compound is a by-product that can form during treatment processes using chlorine-based disinfectants such as sodium hypochlorite or chlorine dioxide.
Axaragua has agreed with health officials to step up monitoring, adding monthly chlorate measurements at 20 delivery points across the system and maintaining close coordination with local councils, which oversee the final distribution networks.
Since the start of the year, the company has carried out 21 analyses along the Viñuela–Axarquia system, recording only one isolated exceedance that was not confirmed by secondary testing.
In a public notice, the mayor of El Borge informed residents on Thursday that, following an unfavourable report on chlorate levels in municipal tanks, tap water cannot be used for drinking or cooking.
The council has arranged an alternative supply through bottled water, which residents can collect from local shops after obtaining vouchers from the town hall.
Meanwhile, Iznate’s mayor, Gregorio Campos, told residents that recent tests showed ‘continuous improvement’, with two storage tanks registering compliant results.
However, trace levels in the general network meant the consumption ban could not be lifted ‘as a precaution’.
Bottled water is being provided at designated points, with home delivery available for elderly residents and those with limited mobility.
