Two new green filters will tackle nitrate pollution around the Mar Menor
The facilities in El Albujón and Los Alcázares will treat up to 1.5 million cubic metres of groundwater each year
The government has approved the first two green filters planned as part of the project to protect the Mar Menor, with the new facilities designed to remove up to 97.5% of nitrates from groundwater.
The Ministry for Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge (MITECO) has given environmental approval to projects in El Albujón, Cartagena and Los Alcázares. The official environmental statements are expected to be published in the Official State Gazette in the coming days.
Together, the two facilities will be able to treat up to 1.5 million cubic metres of water every year from the Campo de Cartagena aquifer. The aim is to reduce the amount of nitrate reaching the Mar Menor.
The system will use a combination of organic filters, planted areas and semi-natural wetlands to clean the water before it is released.
The larger project in El Albujón will cover 33.4 hectares and will be able to treat up to 1.1 million cubic metres of water a year. Eight new wells will be built and some of the treated water will be sent towards the Albujón ravine and the planned Bocarrambla wetland.
Around 1.5 hectares of nearby land will also be replanted with trees and shrubs typical of the local landscape.
In Los Alcázares, the green filter will be built beside the town's wastewater treatment plant and will cover 11.41 hectares. It will treat up to 390,000 cubic metres of water each year, with six new wells and a reservoir included in the project.
The work will also restore almost 940 square metres of salt marsh, creating habitat for native Mediterranean plants.
Both facilities will use solar power, while the environmental approval includes more than 30 conditions following consultation with public authorities and other interested groups.
The two green filters form part of the wider Mar Menor Green Belt, which also includes planned wetlands in San Pedro del Pinatar and Bocarrambla del Albujón, as well as areas being restored around the southern part of the lagoon.
Image: OTMM
