All of Malta's coastal bathing areas last year met the standards set by the EU, the first time since testing started in 2005.
In 93.1 per cent of cases, the areas were classified as excellent and the remaining 6.9 per cent got a "good" mark. None of the island's bathing areas were closed for swimming, contrary to what used to happen in the preceding swimming seasons.
"Malta has come a long way in this area", an EU official said.
"It is evident that the investment carried out over the past years is giving the right results," he said, referring to an investment of some €73 million, mostly out of EU funds, to build three sewage treatment plants in Malta and Gozo.
Before accession in 2004, all of Malta's sewage used to go into the sea untreated, in some cases close to popular bathing areas. However, after entry, Malta had to comply with EU's rules, obliging members to treat sewage before it is released into the sea. That meant building sewage treatment plants. Two of the plants, in Mellieħa and Xewkija, have already been in service for some years and another one in Xgħajra should be completed soon.
In 2005, the first year when Malta had to gauge its bathing water quality in line with EU standards, the island failed miserably with 33.3 per cent of the 87 test sites just about reaching the minimum requirements and the rest failing. However, as sewage treatment plants started coming on stream the situation improved rapidly.
"We think Malta now can boast some of the cleanest coastal bathing waters in Europe," the EU official said.
"Greece, Cyprus and France, which also managed to get excellent results, are in a slightly better position than Malta because they have a bigger proportion of bathing areas with an 'excellent' mark. However, when one takes into consideration the position of the island just six years ago we think that Malta has made impressive improvements," he said.
The study shows that out of the 20,000 bathing areas monitored throughout the EU last year, two thirds were on the coast and the rest were at rivers and lakes. Compliance with mandatory values (minimum quality requirements) at coastal sites increased from 80 per cent in 1990 to 96 per cent in 2009.