Is Galicia a good place to retire?

Excellent. Low cost of living (30-40% less than Madrid), quality public healthcare, mild climate, safety, and welcoming community. EU pensioners can transfer pensions using the S1 form.

How is healthcare in Galicia?

The Sergas system is high quality, with Hospital da Costa da Morte in Cee and health centers in every municipality. Foreign residents access the public system. Private clinics from €40-80/month.

Is there fast internet on the Costa da Morte?

Yes, most urban areas have fiber optic (300-600 Mbps). Rural areas may have ADSL or satellite. Starlink offers 100-200 Mbps. Remote work is perfectly viable.

How is the education system?

Free public schools (Galician and Spanish), subsidized and private options. International schools in A Coruña and Santiago. The Costa da Morte has schools in Cee, Corcubión, and Fisterra.

Lifestyle 25 April 2025 3 min 453

Water and wells in rural homes in Galicia: complete guide

Public supply vs private well in Galicia

In rural areas of Galicia, water supply comes from two main sources: the municipal public network or a private well. Many rural homes on the Costa da Morte and inland Galicia rely on private wells, especially in small municipalities where the network doesn't reach all parcels.

Aspect	Public network	Private well
Initial cost	Free (connection: €200-600)	€3,000-8,000 (drilling)
Monthly cost	€15-40	€0 (only pump electricity)
Guaranteed quality	Yes (health controls)	Depends (requires testing)
Availability	Not in all rural areas	Always (if aquifer exists)
Maintenance	Municipal responsibility	Owner responsibility

In municipalities like Vimianzo, Zas, Dumbría or Mazaricos, it's common for country houses to have their own well, while in urban centers like Cee or Corcubión the public network is the norm.

Well drilling process

Geophysical survey: a hydrogeologist analyzes the terrain to locate the aquifer (€300-800)
Hydrographic Confederation permit: mandatory for wells deeper than 7 meters
Mechanical drilling: typical depth 40-80 meters in Galicia
Casing and filter: PVC pipes with filter screens in the aquifer zone
Submersible pump: pump installation and electrical wiring
Flow test: to determine available liters/hour

Local drilling companies like Sondeos Galicia or Perforaciones Rosal operate throughout A Coruña province.

Permits: Hydrographic Confederation

Galicia is divided into two hydrographic demarcations:

Miño-Sil Hydrographic Confederation (CHMS): covers interior basins of Lugo, Ourense and parts of A Coruña and Pontevedra
Galicia-Costa Hydrographic Confederation (CHGC): covers Galician coastal basins, including the entire Costa da Morte

Important: drilling without authorization can result in fines of €3,000 to €60,000 under the Water Law. Subsequent legalization is possible but more expensive.

Water quality testing

Parameter	Legal limit	Common issue in Galicia
Total coliforms	0 CFU/100ml	Livestock contamination
Nitrates	50 mg/l	Agricultural fertilizers
Iron	0.2 mg/l	Very common in granitic terrain
Manganese	0.05 mg/l	Common in Muxía/Fisterra
pH	6.5-9.5	Acidic water on granite (pH 5-6)
Arsenic	0.01 mg/l	Present in some Costa da Morte aquifers

The Public Health Laboratory of Galicia in Santiago de Compostela performs complete analyses for €120-180.

Treatment and purification systems

Sediment filter: mandatory for any well (€50-150)
UV disinfection: eliminates bacteria and viruses (€300-600 + €30/year lamp)
Iron/manganese filter: common in Galicia due to granitic terrain (€400-800)
pH neutralizer: for acidic water (€200-500)
Reverse osmosis: removes dissolved minerals and arsenic (€500-1,200)

Costs: drilling, installation and maintenance

Item	Cost	Frequency
Geophysical survey	€300-800	One-time
Drilling (40-80m)	€3,000-8,000	One-time
Submersible pump + installation	€800-1,500	Replace every 10-15 years
Treatment system	€1,000-2,500	Annual filter replacement
Water analysis	€120-180	Annual (recommended)
Pump electricity	€15-30/month	Monthly

Comparison: the amortized total cost of a well over 20 years is approximately €400-600/year, comparable to public network costs in many Galician municipalities.

Rainwater harvesting

Galicia receives 1,000-2,000 mm of annual rainfall, making it one of Spain's rainiest regions:

150 m² roof in Galicia: can collect up to 180,000 liters/year
Storage tank: 1,000-5,000 liters (€200-800)
Basic filtration: €100-300

What to check when buying with an existing well

Drilling authorization: request the Hydrographic Confederation permit from the seller
Recent water analysis: demand a complete analysis from the last 12 months
Available flow: request a flow test; minimum 500 liters/day for domestic use
Pump condition: submersible pumps last 10-15 years; replacement costs €800-1,500
Treatment system: verify it exists and works correctly
Distance from contamination sources: well must be 30m+ from septic tanks, 50m+ from pesticide-treated crops