Thick white foam has been reported on the River Segura as it flowed past the Carlos III bridge weir in Rojales, marking the fourth suspected wastewater discharge incident of the current hydrological year, which began in October 2025. The episodes have coincided with increased river flow through the urban stretch of the town.

The Water Court of Rojales has alerted the Segura River Basin Authority (CHS), which has taken water samples for analysis. While the authority’s findings are not usually made public, officials have previously said that some foam can be caused by faster currents and sediment disturbance during high flows. However, irrigators say the latest foam appears unusually compact and concentrated.

Recent heavy rainfall pushed river flows to peaks of 20 cubic metres per second. Farmers argue that during such periods untreated or insufficiently treated wastewater may enter the river, either from overloaded sewerage systems or, in isolated cases, industrial discharges. Determining the precise source remains complex.

Irrigators are also calling for a functioning real-time water quality monitoring station on the river’s final stretch. They warn that without proper controls, farmers may be forced to close irrigation gates when water quality is visibly affected.