Before you rush out and buy yourself a Geiger counter, the radiation in the Maro domestic water supply is naturally found in the ground.

The Nerja, Municipal Water Board announced yesterday that the Health and Consumer Department belonging to the Junta de Andalucia had declared that Maro’s domestic water supply as unsafe for human consumption, given that it has an excess amount of natural radiation. This was discovered following water sampling carried out by the water utility company, Aguas de Narixa S. A.

The company is 50% publicly owned by the municipality and the other half is owned by Aqualia.

This restriction only affects Maro, where there are 800 registered inhabitants, and not the rest of the municipality of Nerja, because it is water that comes from the Maro spring.

Accordingly, you should not drink the water nor use it for cooking, even. However, you can use it for washing (personal hygiene), if you don’t mind glowing in the dark…. just kidding!

According to Aguas de Narixa, “the radioactivity comes from natural sources, which is produced by certain kinds of minerals within rocks through which the Maro spring water flows.” Their communique went on to say that the cause could possibly be because of the low level of the water table.

The Town Hall and Aguas de Narixa S. A. are examining other sources of fresh water that Maro can be connected to as a temporary solution. In the meantime, the water utility company will provide drinking water free of charge whilst the restriction remain in place.

The distribution of bottles of water began yesterday afternoon along the streets of Maro. Furthermore, residents can pick up 5-litre bottles of water from the Hogar y Centro Social between 10.00h and 12.00h and then from  17.00h to 19.00h. Residents are allowed one such bottle per person, per day; bear in mind it’s only for drinking and cooking.

(News/Noticias: Maro/Nerja, Axarquia, Costa Tropical, Malaga, Andalucia – Photo: E. Cabezas)