Health ministry says all beaches fit for bathing

The local authorities have not been slow in replying to the European Union report which slammed the beaches at Puerto Pollensa, Puerto Andratx and Puerto Soller. Yesterday, the Balearic health ministry said that the sea water at all three resorts was clean and of the best quality. It said that the water was tested regularly and all three beaches passed the test. The negative report on the beaches was released on Monday, in the European Union's annual report on community beaches, and the information regarding local beaches was provided by the Balearic ministry. Yesterday a spokesman said that last year, three black spots had been detected on the Majorcan coast: Port of Andratx, Pollensa and Port of Soller. But the figure for the previous year had been higher, with 11 black spots. According to current analyses carried out by the ministry, no beaches in the Balearics are below standard where cleanliness of the water is concerned. Samples of sea water at the beaches are analysed every week between April 15 and October 15. It is sufficient for just one analysis to show levels above what is permitted for the description of the water to be downgraded from “very good” to “good.” If it occurs twice, even though all the other analyses are favourable, the classification goes down from “good” to “not suitable” for bathing.