Foam 'clouds' at Zonqor Point

On April 3 a friend of mine and myself went cycling around Marsascala, St Thomas Bay, Delimara and the Marsaxlokk area, departing from Zonqor Point. The area is truly spectacular, with lovely seascapes and beautiful countryside, especially at this time of the year, unfortunately marred as usual by the myriad trappers and hunters swarming wherever you look. Some public paths are even gated up to prevent easy access!

However, the main purpose of this letter is not to gripe about this. It was overall enjoyable and, finally, by around 5.30 we made our way back to our parked car. On approaching Zonqor Point we immediately noticed what appeared to be a large amount of foam floating a few metres away from the shore. Looking over the railings just across from the swimming pool's car park, we noticed a discharge of water coming from underneath a small stone room by the salt pans, which was somehow causing large "clouds" of foam, looking very much like giant white candy floss, to form also on the rocks, before flowing into the sea.

Several people walking along stopped to observe this phenomenon, wondering what the cause could be - surely not something natural. Some curious people jumped over the railings onto the rocks and tentatively detached bits of the foam, claiming it smelt like chlorine.

My civic sense compelled me to try and seek help. I was also concerned since the people, young and old, touching this foam, did not know exactly to what potential hazards they might be exposing themselves. At 5.48 p.m. I called 112 and was promptly transferred to the Civil Protection Department. A gentleman took my report, politely thanked me for the information and assured me that someone would be sent out to investigate.

On looking around through the gates of the pool, it looked like bits of foam, similar to the pollution of the rocks and in the sea, were scattered in the otherwise empty pool. My guess, of course, was that this was the source.

By 6.15 no one had turned up and these foam "clouds" were growing bigger in size, some reaching at least two metres in height, and parts of these, becoming detached by the wind, started blowing inland on the road and parked cars, including ours. Soon a police 4x4 turned up; finally, we thought! On speaking to the two constables, they said they were passing by chance and stopped to see what was happening.

They were actually ALE officers out to control hunters and this particular "foam" episode was not their jurisdiction. On my insistence they again contacted 112 but it seems that we could have waited forever for anyone to take any action as we were informed that "neither the Drainage Department nor Civil Protection felt it was their competence to look into this matter". One of these officers even took a photo with his MMS phone.

Immediate questions which come to mind are:

1. Under whose responsibility would a case like this fall?

2. Was the Civil Protection Department obliged to look into the matter and take any form of action?

3. What sort of response time is typical for these situations?

4. Who will assess the damage, if any, done to the salt pans, the sea and the environment?

5. Who would be responsible had an innocent child, for example, got hurt or contaminated through curiosity when there was nobody to prevent onlookers from approaching too close?

6. Does the principle of the polluter pays apply and is it enforced in our country?

7. Is there a competent authority to assess and quantify what short-term or long-term damages might have occurred?