The Alarm Raised by Mr. Bruley
Mr. Bruley is a property owner in Planas del Rey. He was, among other things, in charge of a wastewater treatment plant for five years in France, and once again raises the alarm on June 4, 2025. His assessment is unequivocal:
“For about fifteen years now, I’ve been trying to alert everyone involved in Planas about the seriousness of the wastewater treatment problem. Since our treatment plant stopped working, the effluent was discharged untreated into the ravine at the entrance of Planas from the Hospitalet side. Today, no effluent flows anymore: the network is clogged. Wastewater is backing up into streets and plots. We are heading toward disaster.”
With 450 houses and up to 2,000 inhabitants during peak season, Planas generates a colossal pollution load. The network, designed in the 1960s, is now at breaking point. Poorly maintained, obsolete, buried without maps, it has become unmanageable. Concrete is cracking, roots are invading the pipes, and the pipelines are broken or have collapsed under the houses themselves. Yet, we continue to pay sanitation fees to Comaigua, a provider selected by the Pratdip town hall.
Mr. Ripolles Acknowledges the Failure
In a recent message, Domingo Ripolles, municipal councillor in Pratdip and representative of Planas, admits:
“Buildings last over time, and what is done well or poorly always eventually comes to light: pipelines passing under private properties, potable water on inaccessible land, lack of maps… That is our legacy.”
So what is the town hall doing today to correct these mistakes? A grant of 700,000 euros was awarded by the Generalitat to rehabilitate the treatment plant. However, according to Ripolles himself, the funds will not be released until the urbanization has refurbished its sewage system.
Audio message from Mr. Ripolles in Spanish
A Treatment Plant Born from the Residents’ Will
It’s important to remember that the wastewater treatment plant of Planas del Rey was not a public initiative, but rather the result of an exemplary commitment by the residents of the urbanization. As early as 1977, aware of health and environmental issues, they decided to fund the construction themselves, without any help from the State or the municipality of Pratdip.
This project was led by two visionary former owners, Mr. Riffat and Mr. Archambault, who spearheaded the creation of the plant. The facility was entirely funded by the residents of Planas del Rey and received approval from the Catalan Water Agency (ACA) upon commissioning.
By court decision on November 23, 1993, the Pratdip town hall became the official owner of all common areas of the urbanization, including streets, the treatment plant, pumps, pipelines, green spaces, and public lighting.
The lawyer of the EUCC, confirms that the common areas are registered in the name of the town hall
More recently, on April 25, 2017, the plant’s compliance status was confirmed by BSI Management Systems, an international organization specialized in technical and environmental certifications. This is further proof, if needed, that this facility was a strategic asset, still usable in 2017, if there had been political will to operate it.
Responsibilities of the Pratdip Town Hall
1. Municipal Ownership of the Treatment Plant
The treatment plant is now municipal property, meaning:
- It is legally responsible for its operation.
- The plant was deliberately shut down by Pratdip’s town council in 2016.
2. Lack of Connection Deliberately Maintained
The main technical requirement for the plant to be operational was to connect the existing sewage system to the facility.
In reality, the sewage network of Planas was largely—but not completely—connected to the treatment plant.
Unfulfilled Legal Obligation
Article 26 of Law 7/1985 requires municipalities, even small ones, to provide wastewater treatment services.
The town hall cannot refuse to fulfill this obligation by hiding behind an outdated “private” urbanization status without legal basis.
Even more so since residents pay 280,000 euros annually in property taxes (IBI).
Grant Awarded but Not Used
A grant of 700,000 euros was reportedly awarded (according to recent testimonies) to make the plant operational.
However, this aid is still contingent on the prior refurbishment of the sewage system.
Once again, the town hall is indirectly blocking the solution.
Conclusion
Yes, the town hall’s responsibility is engaged at several levels:
- Legal (public service obligation)
- Technical (acceptance of non-functional infrastructure)
- Political (lack of action for more than 15 years)
A Health Alert for the Entire Region
What is happening in Planas del Rey now goes beyond the local level. The uncontrolled discharge of wastewater, the risks of soil contamination, of surface water and of groundwater threaten the ecological balance of the entire area.
If no urgent measures are taken, it won’t be just Planas, but also neighboring municipalities, beaches, crops, and public health that will be affected.
This situation is not a surprise. As early as November 4, 2019, the SOS Planas association had already raised the alarm through an article entitled: Pratdip, an announced health and ecological disaster. Since then, nothing has been done, except for the official handover of the treatment plant by the town hall, without any restoration work being undertaken.
This is no longer a warning. It is a certainty. Planas del Rey is now experiencing a major health and environmental crisis. And this time, residents, institutions, and authorities will not be able to say they didn’t know.
SOS Planas
