As Conchas residents seek court enforcement to stop water pollution

Residents of As Conchas in Ourense, Spain, have filed a lawsuit requesting the forced execution of a landmark judicial ruling to stop polluting pig slurry discharges into the Limia river basin. The High Court of Justice of Galicia (TSXG) previously ruled that the Xunta de Galicia and the Miño-Sil Hydrographic Confederation violated fundamental rights, including the right to life and a healthy environment, due to their inaction regarding industrial livestock pollution.

Despite the ruling, local inhabitants and environmental groups report that toxic cyanobacteria and contamination persist in the As Conchas reservoir. The pollution has reportedly spread downstream, with evidence of contamination reaching the Lindoso dam in Portugal.

The legal action, supported by organizations such as ClientEarth, Amigas da Terra, and the Federation of Consumers and Users (CECU), seeks to compel authorities to implement mandatory measures. These include a moratorium on new licenses for macro-farms and stricter controls on existing agricultural operations to restore the local ecosystem and protect public health.