Do not swim at Xlendi Bay, health authorities warn bathers

Swimmers have been warned to avoid Xlendi Bay in Gozo due to possible contamination by runoff following a downpour last week.

In a statement issued on Sunday evening, the Environmental Health Directorate said it was advising against bathing in the area until further notice as a “precautionary measure”.

The directorate said it could not predict how long the advisory notice would remain in place.

“Following the rainfall on the 20th of June 2025, runoff water from the Xlendi valley, which was carried down from Rabat and several other localities in central Gozo, brought with it soil and deposits from the valley that have continued to flow into the sea.

“The quality of the bathing water may have been affected, posing a potential risk to public health,” the directorate said.

It did not specify the risks its officers have identified. Environmental Health Officers are now collecting samples from four separate monitoring points at Xlendi to assess the water quality.

Sunday’s warning was the second bathing warning issued by the directorate within three days. On Friday, the directorate closed off Fond Għadir in Sliema to swimmers after contaminated water was detected in the bay. The directorate said the contamination was discharged from a stormwater culvert.