Sewage spills into sea at Mellieħa, as Water Services blames pipe damage
Water Services Corporation said situation was resolved by Tuesday morning
Sewage seeped into the sea at the Mellieħa taċ-Ċumnija area on Sunday afternoon after an air pipe at the North Sewage Treatment Plant was damaged, Water Services Corporation (WSC) said.
WSC confirmed the incident after PN MEP Peter Agius uploaded footage on Tuesday morning showing the sea contaminated with sewage.
“You aren’t throwing drainage into the sea, right, (Environment Minister) Miriam Dalli,” Agius said.
Replying to questions, a WSC spokesperson said the incident was first noted on Sunday afternoon, and technical teams began to investigate the situation. Later, the issue was traced to a damaged air pipe, which caused a thickener overflow into the treated water outlet.
“Repair works commenced straight away during the night and were completed by early Tuesday morning,” the spokesperson told Times of Malta.
“Partially treated water was discharged during two time brackets on Sunday afternoon and early Monday morning.”
The WSC said the incident was fully resolved by Tuesday morning, and all incoming sewage is being fully treated at the plant, and "no untreated sewage" being released any more.
Last year, a European court found Malta in breach of EU regulations by allowing sewage to be discharged without undergoing secondary treatment.
In March, WSC announced a €33 million investment at the Ċumnija treatment plant.