Watch: Sewage seeps into Żurrieq sea, causing stench at Blue Grotto boat area

Updated 3.20pm with environment and health ministry replies

Sewage has been trickling down to the sea at Żurrieq for the past few weeks, boatmen who ferry tourists to the Blue Grotto are saying.

Besides health concerns and pollution, the sewage has left a foul stench in the area where people queue up to buy tickets for the Blue Grotto boat rides.

“When people were lining up to buy tickets earlier today, many were holding their noses because of the smell,” boatman Carmel D’Amato told Times of Malta during a visit on Tuesday.

A foul-smelling liquid was seen coming out from the cracks of a wall leading to the area where the tourist-ferrying boats are kept.

Much of that liquid remains stagnant in the area where boats are stored; however, a steady trickle constantly flows into the sea.

“It’s been like this for three weeks, and even though we’ve contacted authorities, nothing has happened,” D’Amato said.

He said the issue probably stems from the fact that the area is still not connected to the central drainage system and still relies on cesspits.

“For some reason, they don’t want to install drainage, and so we are suffering the consequences. Maybe now the government will take action.”

Questions have been sent to health authorities and the environment ministry.

A spokesperson for the health ministry said they conducted inspections on Wednesday morning and found the area to be dry.

"The Environmental Health Directorate (EHD) received the complaint on May 5 and immediately initiated an investigation. Inspections were carried out shortly after, including outside office hours and again on the morning of May 7. These confirmed that the percolation had ceased and the area was dry, with no visible discharge".

The site is served by private cesspits, which are regularly emptied by licensed operators. In this instance, the overflow likely occurred earlier than expected, leading to temporary seepage into the boat storage area before the bowser could intervene.

A spokesperson for the environment ministry said that because the area is maintained through privately owned cesspits, the emptying and maintenance of these cesspits is the sole responsibility of the private entities. 

"Such a situation is normal for zones far off from the nearest Water Services Corporation sewer network".

They added that the environment ministry is currently looking into the possibility of introducing a sewer network operated by WSC.

"Considering that the location is situated far off from the nearest WSC sewage network, the development of a sewage network on site requires a master plan that would be required for a capital infrastructural project of this nature".

Tourists walk past the foul-smelling liquid. Photo: Daniel Ellul

Godwin Farrugia, who has worked as a boatman for 40 years, said the smell not only sends tourists away but also puts boatmen at a health risk.

“It carries disease, and we are working right next to it, and even on it,” he said

He said the inside of their boats also smells because tourists step on the sewage before getting on the boat.

Another boatman, Joseph D’Amata (known as il-Wowi), said Wied Iż-Żurrieq is a forgotten area by the government.

“Four ministers run from here (District Five) and none of them take action. It’s as if they’re not from here," he complained.

“But when the election is coming, all of them come asking for our vote. They come for those two months (before the election) and then stay away.”

He said Prime Minister Robert Abela should also take note, because he was elected from the district as well.

Environment Minister Miriam Dalli, Culture Minister Owen Bonnici, Lands Minister Stefan Zrinzo Azzopardi, and Public Works Junior Minister Omar Farrugia are all constituent MPS of the district.

Robert Abela was elected on the district but forfeited his seat and kept his District Two seat.

D’Amato said the issue of the sewage system has also been brought to Parliament by PN MP Toni Bezzina.

In 2023, Qrendi mayor David Schembri said the lack of a sewage system means the area sometimes “smells like diarrhoea.”