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Swimming banned at Cala Reona beach following the discovery of faecal matter in the water
The popular Cartagena beach has been closed off until further notice by the Ministry of Health
Sadly, residents of Cabo de Palos are no strangers to unsavoury discharges from the Cartagena wastewater treatment plant, and just over a month ago the council had to repair the outfall and remove several broken fragments from the seabed for the third time in two years.
But on Tuesday June 13, even those with the strongest stomachs were revolted by the news that faecal matter had trickled into the waters of Cala Reona beach, a popular swimming and bathing spot for tourists and locals alike.
The beach was temporarily closed off by Civil Protection with red flags and a sign informing people that the strand would be reopened once the water quality levels returned to normal.
In an official statement, the City Council explained that a two and a half metre cable had been stolen from the control building of the La Manga-Sur treatment plant, which affected the systems that regulate the purification process.
The fault was noticed shortly after dawn on Sunday June 11 and immediately repaired. However, due to the presence of faecal matter the authorities have advised that Cala Reona will remain closed "until the new analyses certify the return of the water output to normal values."
Meanwhile, eight local neighbourhood, environmental and business associations have banded together to demand that the City Council properly repair the outfall pipe once and for all to prevent similar disasters in the future. The trouble is that nobody wants to assume the expense, although the Segura Hydrographic Confederation did agree to take on the massive project back in April.
At the same time, the Prosecutor's Office has opened an investigation into alleged wastewater discharges in this coastal area of the Region of Murcia, as well as in other parts of the Mediterranean around La Manga.
Image: Ayuntamiento de Cartagena
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