Water quality control

WATER QUALITY CONTROL

Annual Analytical Control Plan

Your water should be quality water

 

Tests are carried out to guarantee the absence of micro-organisms and unwanted chemical products and to determine the physicochemical and organoleptic qualities of the distributed water. This involves testing over 100 microbiological, chemical and physical parameters. All these parameters are tested systematically by an accredited laboratory, in accordance with legal requirements and standard ISO 17025.

Aguas de Murcia carries out over 222.000 tests a year on water for human consumption.

All tests are performed by an external certified laboratory that guarantees the highest standards of reliability in the results. These results are then sent to the Ministry of Health and entered into the National Drinking Water Information System (SINAC).

  • Infrastructure Properties

    The hydraulic infrastructures of the municipality of Murcia are managed by EMUASA with Tax Identification Code: A-30054209 and website: https://www.emuasa.es/, Infrastructure owned by the Most Excellent City Council of Murcia, with Tax Identification Code: P-3003000-A and website: https://www.murcia.es/.
    The information about the distribution networks, their designation in SINAC, the supply area they belong to, and the population they supply, is available to you by accessing the website SINAC.

  • Claims related to the concepts of the Royal Decree 3/2023

    During the year 2023, the complaints received related to aspects within the scope of RD 3/2023, dated January 10, which establishes the technical-health criteria for the quality of drinking water, its control and supply, have been less than 0.1% of the supplied population.

  • Information about the Water Health Plan

    The Water Health Plan, or PSA, is a methodology for risk analysis and management of critical points based on recommendations from the World Health Organization (WHO) and other international entities.
    Spanish legislation mandates the implementation of PSA in Chapter IV and Annex VII of the Royal Decree 3/2023, dated January 10, which establishes the technical-health criteria for the quality of drinking water, its control and supply.
    The implementation of the Water Safety Plan (WSP) involves analyzing hazards and quantifying risks based on data and events related to the quality and continuity of water supply in the municipality. The analysis of this data allows us to prioritize actions against risks and establish preventive measures or multiple barriers that minimize or eliminate them. The objective of the WSP is to systematically ensure that the water is safe and clean, acceptable to users, and that the service is continuous, with sufficient quantity and pressure.
    The PSA is reviewed annually and the analytical data generated provides feedback to the system, making it increasingly robust, strengthening the principle of risk prevention, and contributing to the continuous improvement of the supply.
    Finally, health authorities verify and approve the PSA, ensuring its compliance, level of implementation, and effectiveness.
    Additionally, the Murcia supply PSA is certified according to the ISO 22000 standard, which guarantees the safety of the supplied water.
    For the municipality of Murcia, the current PSA is in place. Following the latest risk assessment review, it has been concluded that there is no need to implement additional corrective measures, thus ensuring the hygienic-sanitary quality of the water.

WATER QUALITY CONTROL

Test parameters

Distribution network control test

To determine the physicochemical, organoleptic and microbiological characteristics of the water.

Complete analysis of the network and tanks

To determine the organoleptic, physicochemical, metal, trihalomethane, pesticide, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon and microbiological content.

Radioactivity analysisd

In accordance with the latest modification, Royal Decree 140 establishes that potential radioactivity in drinking water must be tested.

DWTP testing

At our DWTP, La Contraparada, we carry out over 120,000 tests a year at all stages of the process, thereby guaranteeing they are all working perfectly.

Legionella testing

The health authorities in the Region of Murcia also require testing of drinking water for Legionnaires' disease, after the epidemic in 2001.

Control Calidad del agua final

Controls
 

The water reaching your homes via the supply network undergoes the strictest controls. Royal Decree 140/2003 establishes which controls have to be carried out. These are divided into three levels:

  • Aguas de Murcia conducts its own controls. Tests carried out in drinking water treatment plants, tanks and the distribution network.
  • Murcia City Council carries out tests on consumers’ taps through its municipal laboratory. Tests in homes and public buildings.
  • The Autonomous Community is responsible for health surveillance. Inspection, test and supervision programmes for the previous two controls.

Further guarantees are provided by the fact that, in the Region of Murcia, most of the drinking water is treated by the Canales del Taibilla Municipal Association and distributed to a numerous towns, who then carry out their own tests. In other words, a large number of towns and organisations all test the same water.

There are over 100 continuous analysers operating 24 hours a day to test the drinking water for turbidity, temperature, pH, conductivity and, above all, free chlorine at different points in the distribution network.

Quality analysis for water supplied
 

Murcia water representative test results for last month and the water quality analyses are available.