THERMAL SWIMMING POOL
At present a swimming pool of 8 x 4 metres in front of the hotel building has the thermal water continuously flowing through it, making swimming all the year round a pleasure. A marble bath beside the pool is ideal for young children.
A stone bath was built beside the river Aransa and is fed with thermal water from one of the springs. The adjacent natural pool in the river allows very cold and warm dips for those with sufficient courage.
WATER QUALITY
The classification as "minero-medicinal" water - which was first established in 1877 and re-confirmed in 1928 – will apply to the new borehole as it is so close to the original springs. The increased quantity of thermal water means that Sanillés can now be classified as an official "Balneario" or Thermal Spa with a whole range of water related health care treatments.
The high level of silica in the Sanillés thermal water gives especially beneficial effects for improving hair condition and helping with skin complaints. As drinking water the light mineral content assists digestion and renal function.
SPA DEVELOPMENT
Studies are now focussing on an incremental development of thermal spa facilities.
As a next stage it is planned to put in place changing rooms and toilets nearer to the bathing area and the addition of a jaccuzzi or hot-tub, a flotation tank and an infra-red sauna.
HISTORY
Thermal water is known to have been used at Sanilles since Roman times.
Thermal waters surface at four related springs with slight variations in temperature and composition of water: Païdor (30ºC), Fon del Riu (28ºC), de la Muntanya (24ºC) all with alkaline and silica rich waters and de Ferro which is rich in iron. The springs are small, yielding a combined total of about 500 litres per hour.
DEVELOPMENTS IN RECENT YEARS
In May 2000 a new bore hole was drilled to a depth of 139 metres (458 feet) through solid granite. The bore may yield some 15,000 litres per hour of thermal water at 34ºc (93ºF).
There is legal protection preventing others from drilling bore holes in the vicinity or using substances which might contaminate the thermal water.
A submersible pump is installed in the bore-hole capable of giving a flow of 8,000 litres per hour.
Just since the autumn of 2007 thermal water surfaces from the new bore-hole without the use of the pump to give a continuous flow of some 2000 litres per hour.
