Lanaja regulates slurry dumping with minimum distances and sanctions.

The Lanaja City Council has definitively approved the ordinance regulating the discharge of slurry and other liquid livestock by-products within its municipal area, with mandatory minimum distances, exclusion zones, and a three-tier penalty regime. The regulation, signed by the mayor, Aranzazu Barcos Gazol, is published in the Official Gazette of the Province of Huesca number 152, of August 12, 2026, with the official reference BOPH-2026-152013.

The agreement was automatically elevated to definitive status as no claims were submitted during the public display period of the provisional plenary agreement, published in the BOP number 118, of June 24, 2026. The ordinance is based on Decree 94/2009, of May 26, of the Government of Aragon, which revises the sectoral guidelines on livestock activities and facilities, and on the laws 7/1985, of April 2, regulating the bases of local government, and 7/1999, of April 9, on local administration of Aragon. Its purpose is to protect the environment and public health and to ensure coexistence between agricultural activity and the population of a municipality with a strong farming and livestock tradition.

Minimum distances and exclusion zones

The ordinance establishes mandatory minimum distances for the application of slurry to agricultural or forest land, without prejudice to sectoral regulations:

• 1,000 meters from the perimeter of urban land or isolated and occupied dwellings.
• 200 meters from drinking water catchments, wells, springs, and permanent or seasonal watercourses, such as ravines and irrigation ditches.
• 10 meters from public roads and highways, and 5 meters from boundaries with plots of land used for different agricultural purposes.
• In particularly sensitive areas (SPAs, SCIs, wetlands, or forests of high ecological value), regional or state environmental legislation shall apply.

The exclusion zone, where discharge is prohibited, is also defined: the vicinity of watercourses, wells, springs, urban centers, schools, and areas of special environmental protection. Likewise, discharge onto frozen or waterlogged soils or during periods of heavy rain is not permitted, and application should be avoided on days with strong winds or extreme temperatures.

Infractions and penalties

The penalty regime classifies infractions as minor, serious, and very serious:

• Minor: discharging outside the permitted schedule or calendar and formal non-compliance without damage; fine of up to 600 euros.
• Serious: discharges in unauthorized or exclusion zones, during prohibited periods, persistent odors, or exceeding the soil’s carrying capacity; fine of up to 1,000 euros.
• Very serious: discharges in protected areas without authorization, contamination of surface or groundwater, and obstruction of municipal inspection; fine of up to 3,000 euros.

Recidivism is considered to be repeating an infraction of the same type within four years following notification of a final sanction. In addition to the fine, the offender may be obliged to restore the altered situation and adopt the corrective measures indicated by the municipal technical services. The resolution corresponds to the Mayor’s Office for minor infractions and to the Plenary for serious and very serious ones.

Discharge limitations

The text prohibits discharge between July 20 and August 31, during the pre-festivities and festivities of San Mateo, during the patron saint festivities of Orillena and Cantalobos, and on the feast day of San José in Lanaja. Discharge is also prohibited on rainy days, when precipitation is forecast, or during strong wind or frost.

• On the same plot, slurry may not be applied more than twice per agricultural campaign, respecting the nitrogen limits per hectare.
• The only authorized system is low-impact: direct injection or trailing hoses.
• The circulation and parking of agricultural vehicles with accessories on public roads in the urban area is prohibited.

The regulation declares the livestock farm owner, the manager or applying company, and, jointly and severally, the owner or tenant of the receiving plot, as well as any person who organizes, authorizes, or carries out discharges contrary to the ordinance or obstructs inspection, to be responsible. The ordinance will enter into force fifteen days after its full publication in the provincial bulletin and also binds farms from other municipalities that discharge onto land in Lanaja. For livestock farmers, it entails a stricter calendar and application techniques; for residents, a guarantee against odors, aquifer contamination, and nuisances during festive periods. An appeal against the agreement may be filed before the High Court of Justice of Aragon within two months.

Source: Official Bulletin of the Province of Huesca, No. 152, of August 12, 2026, Local Administration section (official reference: BOPH-2026-152013).