A significant incident has emerged in Rojales, as the local water court has detected a hydrocarbon spill in the Segura River, prompting the closure of a crucial water intake that supplies the acequia Comuna. This acequia is vital for traditional irrigation in the Vega Baja region, impacting approximately one thousand two hundred hectares of agricultural land across Rojales and Guardamar del Segura. The mayor, Antonio Pérez, who serves as the president of the irrigation entity, has confirmed these drastic measures.

Recent alerts from local farmers regarding the presence of fuel in the irrigation canals have been substantiated. It was determined that the contamination does not stem from an isolated spill but from the polluted flow of the river itself. The ecological flow of the river was noted to be two metres per second upstream, double the normal for this time of year, yet less than one cubic metre per second at Rojales, which could exacerbate the concentration of the spillage.

Authorities, including the Environmental Protection Service of the Civil Guard and the river guard of the Confederation Hidrográfica del Segura, are actively taking water samples to identify the source of the contamination. The Confederation is striving to mitigate the impact of the fuel stain, which has been characterised as not very extensive. Technicians aim to contain and extract the spill using a pump, and if necessary, water will be released from La Pedrera to dilute the contaminant.

The situation poses a serious challenge for local farmers, particularly as they prepare their fields for the upcoming autumn and winter vegetable crops, which include artichokes and sweet potatoes. The Segura river system also irrigates vast areas of citrus fruits, adding to the urgency of resolving the contamination swiftly.