Raw drainage is spilling onto Wied iż-Żurrieq beach, a recurring problem that is next to impossible to solve, Qrendi mayor David Schembri said.

“It smells like diarrhoea,” he said, describing the beach as an idyllic spot opposite Filfla which is being ruined by residential dumpings of illegal, toxic and biohazardous waste.

The issue is rooted in the locality’s lack of an underground drainage system as residents are forced to use cesspits to keep their waste until it can be emptied by a contractor.

Each cesspit is made with its intended use in mind. A pit built for a single family of four should be roughly double the size of one made for a couple.

If more tenants move in, the pit should be expanded to accommodate the new load or, if manageable, it should be emptied regularly.

Cesspits drained into stormwater culverts

However, some residents “believe themselves to be above God,” Schembri told Times of Malta as he explained the daunting task of enforcing such regulations.

In November waste was spotted on the rocks and reported to the authorities.

“People are taking advantage of the stormwater culvert that is meant to funnel excess rain into the sea by using it as sewage relief, which is completely illegal,” he said.

Rather than paying for the cesspit emptying service – which costs €50 per cleaning – some are dumping waste into the culvert as they “try to get away with murder”.

Schembri said the main culprits tend to be restaurants using cesspits intended for families. They are now overloaded by the waste patrons generate and the excessive amount of water they use to clean dirty dishes and cutlery, he said.

Catching the culprits is a long and arduous process that requires patience and time.

“Many cases are not followed up because it is a tedious process,” the mayor said.

The challenge of catching the culprits

To figure out who is dumping the waste, the local council must first file a report with the Environmental Health Directorate (EHD) which, if able, conduct an investigation by dyeing the various local cesspits and checking whether the illegal sewage also changes colour.

The dye must be administered to each and every cesspit and, once the area is checked, the next cesspit can receive its coloured inspection.

Yet, as owners know that their cesspit is being checked, they are given a golden opportunity to empty their pit legally and then continue the illegal dumping once the dye has been cleared, Schembri explained.

One such investigation was carried out in November after waste was spotted on the rocks and reported to the EHD.

Where most of these investigations lead to a culprit-less result, this latest attempt was able to put a face to the faeces. 

As assessments were being carried out, an inspector was coincidentally on site and saw hints of dye in the waste, confirming that local restaurant and lounge Azul at Step’n’Cafe was responsible for that particular dumping, Schembri said.

“This does not mean that others are not doing the same, it just means they have not been caught and identified,” the mayor said.

“As nobody is watching them and because no-one can attribute them as the source, they continue to get away with it.”

Schembri emphasised the formidable task of monitoring, reporting and catching those responsible for the illegal disposals.

Whether it is in the quiet hours of the night or during slow days, “there will always be windows of opportunity for people to dump their waste.”

The irony is that, as restaurants capitalise off the area’s tourism activity, the recurring eye- and nose- sore will only deter future visitors.

“You are killing the goose that is giving you the golden egg,” Schembri said.

He has reported the current matter to the relevant authorities, however an investigation is yet to be announced.