Legal Action Sought to Enforce Cleanup of Contaminated As Conchas Reservoir

• Local residents have filed for the forced execution of a court ruling to address the ongoing pollution of the As Conchas reservoir.
• Despite a landmark 2025 court ruling confirming that industrial livestock farming violated fundamental human rights, authorities have largely failed to implement the required remediation measures.
• Legal representatives and advocacy groups are demanding the implementation of approximately 80 specific environmental mandates.

Background of the Legal Ruling

• In July 2025, the High Court of Justice of Galicia (TSXG) ruled that industrial waste management in the A Limia basin directly causes water contamination and violates constitutional rights to health and a suitable environment.
• The Supreme Court confirmed the ruling in February 2026 after rejecting appeals from regional and river management authorities.
• The case was supported by over a decade of independent scientific monitoring and water analysis.

Core Demands

• Designating A Limia as a zone vulnerable to nitrate pollution.
• Imposing a moratorium on new industrial livestock farms and expansions of existing facilities.
• Establishing enhanced inspection programs, water quality surveillance, and public warning protocols.
• Requesting the court to set fixed deadlines, assign clear responsibilities, and define measurable compliance indicators.

Current Status and Impact

• Cyanobacteria outbreaks and noxious odors persist, with signs of pollution spreading downstream to the Lindoso dam in Portugal.
• More than 300 intensive livestock farms operate in the region, with their waste management practices identified as the primary source of the pollution.
• The As Conchas ruling is recognized internationally as a significant legal precedent connecting ecological degradation with human rights violations.