Spanish Authorities Failed to Address Livestock Pollution in Lima River for Over a Decade, Court Rules
Spanish authorities, specifically the Xunta de Galicia and Spain’s river basin authority, have been found by the High Court of Justice of Galicia to have violated residents' fundamental rights by failing to rectify increasing water degradation in the Lima/Limia river. This pollution, primarily from pig and poultry mega-farms in Galicia, has led to high levels of nitrates and harmful bacteria, threatening ecosystems and the health of those living along the river, which is shared with Portugal. The court ruled in July 2025 that authorities knew about the contamination for over a decade, with a 2016 hydrological plan warning of potential cross-border contamination into Portugal. Independent sampling at the Lindoso reservoir, conducted with researchers from the Complutense University of Madrid, revealed potentially toxic cyanobacteria at bloom levels and high concentrations of bacteria likely originating from livestock. Despite the court order for immediate action, including a moratorium on new livestock farms...
