The ordinance approving the official list containing bathing and coastal waters of the Azores for 2018 and the respective bathing seasons was published today in the Official Journal.
 
The archipelago has 70 bathing waters approved for this year, the same as in 2017. The bathing season varies from place to place, starting between June 1 and July 1 and ending between August 31 and October 14.
 
The island of São Miguel is the island that has the greatest number of identified bathing waters, representing a total of 24, followed by Terceira with 15 and Pico with 11.
 
Faial has six identified bathing waters, while Graciosa and Santa Maria have four, each. In turn, there are three identified bathing waters on São Jorge, two on Flores and one on Corvo.
 
The Regional Directorate for Sea Affairs is responsible for the process of identifying bathing waters in the archipelago and monitoring their quality.
 
"From May, a new bathing water monitoring programme will be launched to collect and analyse more than half a thousand samples on all islands," said the Regional Director for Sea Affairs.
 
The results of this programme as well as other useful information on bathing water quality in the Region will be regularly published on the Regional Directorate for Sea Affairs website at the address www.aguasbalneares.azores.gov.pt.
 
Filipe Porteiro stressed that the Regional Government "has been alerting managing entities, namely municipalities, for the need to adjust bathing seasons to their actual use, given the increase of tourism flows in the Region in recent years."
 
In this regard, he stressed "the extension of bathing seasons in the bathing areas approved for this year that are under the management of the Regional Directorate for Sea Affairs." According to him, the decision will "contribute to the safety of users, a priority for those who use these areas."
 
The Regional Director also emphasised the "three lifesaver courses to be held on the islands of São Miguel, Santa Maria and Terceira" and the Government is undertaking "efforts to promote another course on the island of Faial in the short term."
 
Moreover, Filipe Porteiro pointed out that the identification of bathing water "requires that managing entities ensure that these areas have adequate equipment and logistic services to respond to the needs of users throughout the bathing season." They should provide sanitary facilities, waste collection and cleaning services and, wherever possible, lifesaver surveillance. The latter is "a crucial requirement to achieve the goals underpinning the identifications of these areas."
 
"A well-managed bathing area network is a major asset for all user," the Regional Director said, stressing that this leisure and tourism offer is intended to "comply with quality and safety standards that are compatible with the expectations of users."