PN MP Rebekah Borg said Wednesday that Environment Minister Miriam Dalli is blaming the people’s inappropriate waste disposal into the drainage system as the cause for the recent instances of drainage in Maltese seas.

Borg was addressing a press conference in St George’s Bay in St Julian’s, which was one of the bays to be closed for swimming yesterday, because of the presence of microbiological contamination, E. coli and I. enterococci affecting the bathing water quality and presenting a risk to bathers’ health.

Balluta Bay was also shut down for bathing by the Environmental Health Directorate (EHD) within the Superintendence of Public Health until further notice.

Borg said that government has caused problems, which have now led to a negative impact on the Maltese seas.

She referred to the EHD’s recommendations, and that officers within the Directorate said they were investigating.

“A bay in St Paul’s Bay also issued a no-bathing notice, St George’s Bay and Balluta were closed for a month last year,” Borg said, mentioning bays in Bugibba, Tigne Point, Birzebbugia, Xemxija and Pembroke, which all had to be closed in 2023.

Borg said that when asked in Parliament, Dalli had said that it was the people who were throwing illicit material down the drainage system, such as wipes.

“So, I ask, is it that the drainage system is not keeping up, or that people are throwing materials they shouldn’t?” Borg said, adding that she receives many photos with proof of drainage at sea, and the Water Services Corporation does nothing but deny.

Borg compared the situation with the drainage system in the country to the electricity infrastructure, which the PN says is inadequate due to the consecutive power cuts the country faced last year.

“Do not ruin our summer, we and our families want to enjoy it,” Borg said, addressing Prime Minister Robert Abela.