Sea of sewage in Mellieħa

Marco Cremona

Apr 5th 2009, 22:38

Shame !

It is clearly very convenient for government to have 'puppet' regulators as Mepa and the Malta Resources Authority.

First MEPA issues the development permits - with a string of operating conditions - then they are unable to monitor the development, and are powerless to act when the permit conditions are breached. Indeed it had to be the Sunday Times to inform MEPA , the so-called 'regulator' and 'competent authority' (sic) that the permit conditions are being so evidently breached.

And viola, it is the Infrastructure Ministry - the developer- and not MEPA that issues a statement which puts the blame on third parties (farmers).

The situation is getting more and more ridiculous by the day.

What stage is the MEPA reform? And while we're at it, why don't we disband MRA? In any case, they're only there to rubber-stamp the tariffs and be used as a punching-bag whenever it suits government to do so.

cassar i

Apr 5th 2009, 21:10

The three plants should have been in operation by 2007 according to EU-imposed deadlines.

They were funded by the EU and subject to penalties due to delays.

Mela bil minus qedin ma Brussel.. Ha zball vergauhen !!!!

J. Borg

Apr 5th 2009, 17:45

A few weeks ago a former NET journalist & now Ministry PRO applauded this Sewage Plant - but then did not comment when I commented about the seepage into the water table & the sea.

Now we have hard evidence - and for the Ministry to try & blame farmers (who have had their water contaminated) is simply disgraceful.

Govt. must take responsibility for this abuse - after so many millions invested to construct the plant & the millions more to maintain it.

Heads should be flushed out....

M.Rogers

Apr 5th 2009, 14:27

The posters and the holiday brochures says come to Malta and enjoy our lovly safe beaches...looking at the picture above,it should read come to Malta swim in safe waters/Mellieha bay and get covered in muck with a chance of catching all the bacteria under the sun for free. Still it won't effect me and my fam. this year we're staying put due to our sterling being devalued against the euro, maybe next year if god's willing and the pound will pick up, its proving to be a bit expensive for working people with a young family. M.Rogers (Malta lover)

L..Galea

Apr 5th 2009, 13:59

As usual, when a contractor is blue-eyed, no action is taken against him, but other are blamed.
Why wasn't the plant planned to take the additional sewage when everyone knew what was happening? Where should the herdsmen dump their animals solid waste when so much land especially fertile fields have been ruined by excessive building?

JF Vassallo

Apr 5th 2009, 12:44

So it’s the farmers’ fault – convenient isn’t??

What about the planning prior to the construction of the plant – didn’t the planners know that about the farms in the surrounding area?

If they knew about them should they not have made allowance for the sewage the farms generate?

It would be interesting to know what Mr. A. Deidun has to say about this matter.

Peter James

Apr 5th 2009, 12:39

This is disgraceful. They have been pumping raw sewage into the sea next to popeye village for years. I use to go fishing around this area and have always noticed one minute the sea is crystal clear the next minute it turns dark and muddy as from the picture.

Steve Rogers

Apr 5th 2009, 12:22

The situation is quite clear as shown by the picture. The sewage treatment plant is faulty as we had other reports in the past of other problems as reported by this newspaper.

I am more surprised that the Polidano group (or maybe I shouldnt be?) is operating the plant. Their environmental credentials are not really that bright. One might ask why every environmental project is awarded to them? Is there no other company in Malta that is capable of operating waste management plants?

European Commission please note were the money from Brussels is going (into faulty operations)!

Matthew Borg Cardona

Apr 5th 2009, 11:51

"the boreholes and wells in the vicinity had to be shut down after farmers reported pumping sewage from the water table" - Will anyone be fined for this?

Chris Finch

Apr 5th 2009, 11:43

If the government really wants to show us its environmental credentials, then those responsible should be fined millions of euros as a deterrent to others who think they can destroy the country with no regard for anything but saving a few pence by not having their waste treated properly.

Pumping raw sewage into the sea affects everyone, from those eating diseased fish, swimmers catching diseases to the diving tourism industry suffering because of such actions.

Noel Cutajar

Apr 5th 2009, 11:11

How quick was the response from the Ministry to blame the farmers!! As the case in everything no one is held accountable...just one thing is certain, if not you just blame it on others...and if you run out of people and authorities just blame it on nature...

Mario Tabone-Vassallo

Apr 5th 2009, 10:57

Jekk cittadin jarmi karta jew ihalli kelb ihammeg fit-triq jew bahar bla ma jigbor il-hmieg, kif xieraq jehel multa; xi kultant, talinqa. issa dar-rimi ta' dal-hmieg kollu fil-bahar ma hu ser isir xejn dwaru? Imhatra jaghtuna parir ma nuzawx il-kmamar baxxi halli ma nghabbux id-drenagg! Mar xi hadd jigri jiehu kampjuni ghall-ezamijiet mehtiega jew qed jistennew sa ma jiccara l-bahar?