The PSOE in Orihuela has denounced significant deficiencies in cleaning, maintenance, ventilation, and safety across several lifeguard stations in Orihuela Costa, a service with a cost exceeding one million euro in 2026 alone. The Socialist group plans to demand a technical review of all eleven municipal lifeguard stations, alongside improvements ahead of next season, at the upcoming September plenary session.
Socialist councillor Juan López inspected several of the facilities following complaints from users who had received medical assistance there. During these visits, the group found dirt, deteriorated bathrooms and electrical outlets, broken doors preventing proper closure, and windows with damaged panes that have remained boarded up for more than a year rather than being repaired.
According to the PSOE, these poor conditions fail to align with the requirements of a service tasked with handling injuries, seasickness, accidents, and other beach emergencies, whilst damaging the tourist image that the coastline should project. The issues also directly impact working conditions for staff. Some stations lack air conditioning, and ventilation is severely restricted where windows are boarded up. López added that several stations lack basic appliances such as refrigerators or microwaves, despite lifeguards working long shifts during peak summer heat. He emphasized that the group is not demanding luxurious facilities, but rather essential cleanliness, ventilation, safety, and habitability for both bathers and staff.
The Socialists attribute the ongoing issues to a lack of oversight by the Coastal Department. Under the contract, the City Council provides eleven municipal beach huts to the winning bidder, Ambumar. The contract stipulates that the company must maintain the modules in perfect condition and handle all cleaning and maintenance, whilst reporting any risks to municipal officials. Simultaneously, City Council staff retain the right to enter the facilities to check their condition and monitor service quality.
López stated that the contractor’s duties do not absolve the local government of its responsibility to inspect the huts and enforce contract compliance. He argued that municipal inspectors should have identified and rectified long-standing defects, such as windows left boarded up for months. Furthermore, because the 2026 contract required an initial handover report documenting equipment condition prior to peak season, the PSOE will request copies of these reports to see when defects were first recorded and what corrective action was ordered.
The wider lifeguard, rescue, and ambulance contract covering the 2024 through 2027 seasons has a total budget of 3,808,919 euro, with 1,014,769.04 euro allocated for 2026 alone. López questioned the level of contract oversight for a service of this financial scale, contrasting the neglected state of the huts with official statements regarding coastal preservation.
The motion to be presented at the September plenary session will push for a complete technical analysis and modernization of the eleven stations before the 2027 season. The proposal will focus on upgrading air conditioning, ventilation, restrooms, electrical systems, doors, windows, and staff areas, whilst demanding stricter municipal monitoring mechanisms before the current contract expires.
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