With jurisdiction over the coast of the municipality of Castro Marim, the harbourmaster of Vila Real de Santo António, João Afonso Martins, told Lusa news agency that, around 3:10 pm, the "end of the swimming ban" was declared at Praia Verde, Alagoa-Altura beach, and Verde Lago beach, a tourist and real estate complex located between the other two locations.

The closure was decreed on Tuesday after water contamination levels that were harmful to health were detected. However, the second analysis results, now known, show that this source of pollution no longer exists and the bathing areas can be reopened, the city government clarified.

The Faro district city hall reported on Tuesday that the results of the bathing water quality analysis collected on Monday had revealed "microbiological contamination levels above the reference limit."

The municipality assured at the time that teams were on the ground trying to determine the source of the contamination, but the cause of the harmful levels found in the seawater on these beaches in the Faro district has not yet been revealed.

"The causes are still under investigation," a municipal source told Lusa today, confirming that the green flags were already flying at those beaches at 3:30 p.m.