The association said that this summer Zero Pollution beaches represent 8% of the total of 658 bathing waters in the country (with or without surveillance), a reduction of seven percentage points compared to 2022.

Last year, when there were 654 bathing waters, 58 beaches were classified by Zero.

The municipalities with the highest number of Zero Pollution beaches are now Albufeira, with six; Porto Santo, Tavira and Vila do Bispo with, four each; and Alcobaça, Aljezur, Faro, Odemira, Sesimbra and Vila do Porto, with three each.

Matosinhos, Torres Vedras and Vila Real de Santo António became part of the municipalities with at least one beach on this list, with a total of 17 beaches leaving the list and 13 joining.

The municipalities of Esposende, Loulé, Peniche, Sabugal and Vila do Conde are no longer represented.

According to Zero, there are 41 distinguished beaches on the mainland (in 18 municipalities), eight beaches in the Azores (six municipalities) and five beaches in Madeira (two municipalities).

On the positive side, the addition of another beach in Albufeira, in addition to the five existing last year, and the move from one to three beaches in Odemira, one of which is inland - Praia de Santa Clara, deserve special mention for the association.

A Zero Pollution beach is one on which no microbiological contamination was detected in the analyzes carried out on bathing water over the last three bathing seasons, stressing that Zero is “extremely difficult” to achieve in inland areas which are “ much more susceptible to microbiological pollution”.