ZERO reports sharp rise in Portugal's bathing water restrictions

Environmental association ZERO says the quality of mainland Portugal's bathing waters worsened in 2026, with bathing restrictions up 65% and outright bans more than doubling compared with 2025, based on monthly APA and DGS data for May to July. Interdictions linked to microbiological contamination rose 143%, concentrated mainly in July. Looking at the wider season to 30 August, ZERO found 68 bathing sites with unfit water at least once, with inland waters disproportionately affected. It blames sanitation failings, farm and industrial discharges, and diffuse pollution, and calls for stronger inspection and accountability.