We all know that the flood relief system discharges water into the sea at Ta’ Xbiex, near the water polo club. Adjacent to this discharge outfall there is an area cordoned off for swimming, number 29 according to the Local Notice for Mariners. These areas reserved for swimmers are established by Transport Malta.

In winter the overflowing of rain and waste into the sea is of no special concern. But what about following summer storms during the bathing season? A few years back after a September torrential episode the area was inundated with the most obnoxious disgusting smell imaginable.

The floods carried with them all the debris and sewage which could possibly be collected along the way. Also the sump at Ta’ Xbiex would have had stagnant deposits for months. Imagine the sea contamination! How many days must pass before one can safely swim again?

I am informed that both Transport Malta and the Environmental Health Directorate publish their own separate list of swimming areas. These two lists don’t match. The Environmental Health Directorate does not take samples from Ta’ Xbiex and it seems that the health authorities discourage harbour bathing so they ignore the aforesaid area altogether together with several others around Malta and do not take sea samples for testing from places like Ta’ Xbiex.

After that ‘full immersion’ olfactory experience I stopped swimming at Ta’ Xbiex. Bathers beware!