Tuesday 3 June 2008

The left hand side of Marsalforn


The left side of Marsalforn bay fail EU's minimum water quality standards.

According to yesterday’s report, Malta’s ‘non-compliant’ bathing spots were the left side of Marsalforn Bay, the stretch of beach in Salina in front of the Coastline Hotel, the area below Neptunes Pitch in Balluta, and the ‘sandy beach’ at Balluta, St Julian’s.

The annual report takes samplings taken on a regular basis throughout the year, submitted to the EU by the Maltese authorities, and weighs the results against the requirements of the EU Bathing Water Directive, which sets minimum standards for bathing water in EU member states.

The exercise takes into account two microbiological parameters – total coliforms and faecal coliforms – and three physico-chemical parameters – mineral oils, surface-active substances and phenols.

Now, can somebody tell me which is the left side of Marsalforn Bay this report is referring to?
Is it the side of the Calypso Hotel or the side of the Otters Waterpolo Club/Restaurant?

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

The public on the Otters' side of M'forn have always complained of alleged outflows from Otters' restaurant cesspit.
Does this 'non-compliant bathing' report for the left side of M'forn prove that the complainants are right in saying that Otters' Club and restaurant(sic) are not operating within the law?
What does 'enforcement' mean? The canopy (see picture) was never sanctioned and an enforcement for its removal has been meted out over a year ago.

Anonymous said...

I'm half-Maltese, living in Wales, UK. We always used to come on holiday to Marsalforn, renting an apartment on St. Mary's street, 5 years in a row - until this year, after reading this report.
When we came in July 2007, my eldest son was violently ill after a week swimming, mainly underwater, exactly below Otters.
We thought maybe it was a dodgy pastizzi - but now we know why, and we're disgusted.
He remained very ill for a month after returning.
Gozo and Malta MUST sort this problem out, before you ruin Marsalforn's tourist industry. Your apartments are wonderful; the village is beautiful; people are so wonderfully friendly.
You CANNOT allow a restaurant to continue spewing its sewage into the bay, ruining it for everyone.
This wouldn't be allowed in Wales -now you're in the EU, you should aspire to Blue Flag status (like so many of Wales' beautiful beaches) and FINE this restaurant into submission.
You should also ensure the sewage from St Mary's Street isn't somehow leaching into the bay.
I'm sure you all pay hefty council taxes; their officials should make sure this beautiful bay is made clean again.