ESG on SEWAGE TREATMENT

The ESG has campaigned and lobbied for a sewage treatment plant since 2003. The issue is still clearly unresolved as we now face fines from the EU, legitimately so since we were warned, via the UK, of infringement proceedings back in 2009.

The technical aspects for this facility have been studied and realised under the current administration and the group hopes that steps will now follow to set it up without further delay. There is no question that this is an important environmental issue for Gibraltar that has to be resolved.

What is also a worry for the ESG is that present developments indicate that infringement proceedings from the EU can several years to result in action, and that therefore, the Western Beach sewage issue, affected by La Linea storm drains, herself also charged recently with infringement proceedings, is still some years off from being similarly charged. This, despite the immediate and highly impacting nature of the sewage contamination, which has directly polluted a public beach for the past 7 years in a cross border situation.

However, public and political pressure is fortunately resulting in significant improvements in bathing water quality at Western Beach in the first few months of 2017. What is not known is if this is a temporary reprieve or the result of infrastructural works already carried out to correct the 2010 diversion.

The ESG will continue to press for progress on both local and cross border water treatment facilities.