The drainage overflow into the sea between Ta’ Fra Ben and Qawra Palace Hotel in Buġibba was caused by a badly installed private waste water connection, the Water Services Corporation said.

The bay, which was closed to bathers on Thursday afternoon, was contaminated by sewage, which had overflowed from the road.

The authorities were alerted to the spill after waste was seen flowing past two boathouses into the sea, the WSC said. Using remote closed-circuit television, wastewater technicians looked for the stoppage and discovered that a private connection had blocked the flow of the main, causing the blockage.

Situated in Tourists Street, it was caused by a “badly installed” connection by “unknown third parties without the proper hardware or necessary expertise on wastewater private connections”, the WSC said.

The waste seeped from the faulty connection and flowed into the sea. After yesterday’s intervention, this was stopped.

In the afternoon, the Environmental Health Department put up signs around the area informing bathers the water was unsafe for swimming.

A report was handed to the health authorities, which would liaise with the owner of the premises to rectify the problem, the corporation said.

However, the bay is still unfit for swimming and the Environmental Health Department will continue taking samples over the weekend.

“The area will be opened again for bathing once three consecutive results indicate the seawater quality is again fit and safe for bathing,” a Health Ministry spokesman said.

Meanwhile, in a separate incident, the corporation also cleared out “considerable quantities” of straw that had clogged a main between San Ġwann and Ta’ Giorni and led to a drainage overflow into Old College Street, Sliema. The WSC suspects someone who keeps horses or the owner of a farm had dumped the straw in the drains. The corporation’s employees cleaned the road, private residences and other affected areas until the blockage was removed.

The WSC has appealed to the public not to dump any unauthorised material such as oils, fats, rags or straw into the drains and to report any abuse on customercare@wsc.com.mt.