Polluters pay nothing: No fines for restaurant after St Thomas Bay contamination

No fines were issued to a restaurant which contaminated part of Marsaskala’s St Thomas Bay despite authorities identifying the source.

During the last days of May, the Environmental Health Directorate warned the public against swimming in the inner part of St Thomas Bay after foul water was discharged into the sea via a rainwater culvert.

A week later, the area was deemed safe again to swim.

But no fines or action were taken by the directorate against the restaurant despite the authorities knowing the source of the contamination.

A spokesperson for the directorate confirmed that the issue originated from a malfunction in the sewage system of the restaurant, which resulted in a leak.

“In response, preparations were underway to issue a Public Health Emergency notice under the Public Health Act, which would have necessitated the closure of the establishment. However, the food business operator took immediate corrective action, and the overflow was successfully contained. As a result, the emergency notice was not issued,” the spokesperson said.

The area at St Thomas Bay, which was deemed off limits for swimming by the Environmental Health Directorate

After three inspections showed that there was no further sewage outflow, the bay was re-opened for the public, they added.

No fines were issued either by the Environment and Resources Authority (ERA), the agency that serves as a watchdog for the environment, with MaltaToday being informed that such matters fall within the remit of the Environmental Health Directorate.

St Thomas Bay’s contamination is not the first instance of unchecked pollution coming from a commercial establishment.

On the other side of the island, St George’s Bay in St Julian’s was last year shut down for a stretch after the sea got contaminated by sewage emanating from a hotel.

The hotel’s private sewage connection had been accidentally discontinued, resulting in drainage seeping into the rocks and entering the locality’s stormwater system.

Once again, no fines were issued despite the authorities identifying the source of the contamination.

Similarly, a stone’s throw away in Balluta Bay, the beach was consistently flagged for the presence of E.Coli and I.Enterococci bacteria, germs normally associated with sewage. Nonetheless, no one was blamed for the persistent contamination.

The Environmental Health Directorate carries out weekly tests in beaches across Malta and Gozo to certify the safety and cleanliness of popular swimming zones. The Bathing Water Portal lists 87 monitoring points, including 16 pet friendly beaches, providing weekly updates on the state of seawater quality.