The repeated incidents of pollution in the sea of Limassol are causing concern, as the images from the beaches and the complaints of citizens bring the issue back to the forefront. The issue was discussed yesterday at the Shipping Deputy Ministry, with the competent services and local authorities putting on the table the possible sources of pollution and the measures that must be taken to limit the incidents.
From what was said publicly today, it follows that the possible sources of pollution are many and different. Discharge pipelines, sewage treatment plants, interception vessels and ships, fish farms and rainwater are among the activities being considered. The aim is now to complete the recording and to follow specific checks and clear answers about the origin of the incidents.
Under the microscope the possible sources of pollution
The Deputy Director General of the Shipping Deputy Ministry, Theodoulos Mesimeris, stated that the meeting was held on the initiative of the Deputy Minister of Shipping and had a coordinating character, after contacts with the local authorities had been made and citizens' comments and complaints had been taken into account.
"The purpose of the meeting was to see all this information so that we can jointly shape additional actions," he said.
Speaking on state radio, he explained that the Deputy Ministry of Shipping has been designated as a coordinating body, with the aim of identifying and mapping potential sources of pollution and forming a framework for additional actions.
At the same time, he noted that an effective monitoring mechanism is needed, so that, when an incident occurs, the services can react as soon as possible.
Mr. Mesimeris underlined that in Cyprus a regular sampling program is being implemented for bathing waters and that the overall picture is very good.
"The image of Cyprus is excellent. It ranks us in the first category of all the countries of the European Union," he said, noting, however, that "yes, there are incidents of pollution" and many potential sources, especially in an area with intense activity such as the Limassol Bay.
The pipeline in Akti Olympion
One of the issues that took center stage was a drainage pipeline, which starts from a tall building under construction on the coastal avenue and ends in the sea area east of Olympia Beach.
Theodoulos Mesimeris stated that, according to the information he has, a permit has been issued by the Department of Environment for this particular disposal.
"We are not talking about a pollution issue, we are talking about a licensed discharge into the sea," he said.
He hastened, however, to add that it must be examined whether the conditions of the permit are met and whether the discharge may cause local deterioration of water quality.
As he mentioned, after the discussion that took place, the Department of Environment has launched actions to determine whether all the relevant conditions are met.
It should be noted that the newspaper "Politis" published today a video from the point in question, in which activity around the pipeline and work in the area is recorded.
On the occasion of the incident, the MP of DISY Limassol, Giorgos Karaiskakis, asked for an immediate investigation of the pollution and clear answers from the competent services. At the same time, he announced that with the resumption of the work of the Parliament, he will request the ex officio examination of the issue in the Environment Committee.
Xydias: To clarify who controls what
The mayor of Amathus, Kyriakos Xydias, who participated in yesterday's meeting at the Deputy Ministry of Shipping, stood on the need to put order in the responsibilities.
As he said, the issue has been discussed for years, while 17 to 18 state services are involved. What is needed, according to him, is a complete record of the possible sources of pollution and a clear definition of the responsibility of each service.
"What needs to be done, precisely in order to find a solution and not to have unnecessary meetings, is to make an absolute record of all possible sources of pollution and everyone, within the framework of their own competence, to check their part," he said.
He also called for more transparency, proposing the creation of a public platform where the role of each service would be shown, the results of the analyses would be published and explanations would be given when there are out-of-bounds prices.
"All this must be in public view," he said.
Questions about the pipeline in Olympia Beach
In particular, he focused on the drainage pipeline connected to a tall building on the coastal avenue, asking the Department of Environment to clarify how many similar pipelines have been licensed and how they are tested.
"I don't know how many there are, 10, 50, 100. To tell us how many it licenses and with what mechanisms it controls them," he said.
At the same time, he raised questions about the route of this pipeline, describing as "unprecedented" the fact that it enters the sea, turns and moves about a kilometer to the east before the point of estuary.
As he mentioned, he had informed the Department of Environment last week and brought the issue back to yesterday's meeting.
"I asked for some explanations and I insist that we have not received adequate explanations," he noted.
Mr. Xydias clarified, however, that this pipeline is only one parameter of a wider problem. He referred, among other things, to rainwater pipes, ships, anchorages, yachts and fish farms, stressing that continuous control is needed both at the licensing stage and in compliance with the conditions set.
Moni and the need for prevention
The mayor of Amathus also referred to the incident at the urban wastewater treatment plant in Moni.
As he said, in exceptional cases a disposal may be needed to deal with an emergency problem, however, the facilities must operate in a way that does not lead to such solutions.
Although the factory is not located within the administrative boundaries of his Municipality, he stressed that "the sea does not understand administrative boundaries", as an incident can also affect neighboring areas.
In conclusion, he said that at yesterday's meeting, a roadmap of actions was presented and adopted, with the local authorities now waiting for its implementation. "What has been pointed out has been recorded as a road map. To move forward immediately, to be implemented. Here is the essence," he pointed out
Theopemptou: "12 years and we still haven't found the sources"
Charalambos Theopemptou, former chairman of the Parliamentary Committee on the Environment and former Commissioner for the Environment, who has dealt with marine pollution and waste management issues for years, strongly criticized.
"It is not possible for 12-13 years to record similar incidents and for the state machine to be activated each time only when a new episode occurs," he said on state radio.
Regarding the possible sources, he said: "I can tell you eight, for example. But even if it was 12 years and countless, they had to find a way to regulate it."
He also referred to the time when bathing water sampling is carried out, noting that around February samples are taken as part of the process for the designation of organized beaches, while incidents and complaints about pollution usually occur in the summer.
According to him, this is an element that should be used in the investigation, so that the authorities can examine when pollution occurs and what activities are then in progress.
The former Environment Commissioner also referred to the fact that, as he said, over the years significant amounts have been spent on clean-ups without the same emphasis being placed on locating the source.
"They have spent a lot of money so far to clean up, but we have not once seen an investigation do analyses, identify and hunt down the source," he said.
He framed a number of potential sources of pollution, including sewage systems, moorings, yachts, and fish farms
The tall buildings and the pipelines
He made special reference to the tall buildings of Limassol, saying that permits have been given for pipelines that end up in the sea and discharge large amounts of water.
As he mentioned, in some cases"around 2,000-2,500 tons of water per day" can be channelled, raising questions about whether there is substantial and continuous control of the quality of the water discharged.
Mr. Theopemptou also wondered whether it is enough for the stakeholders themselves to carry out analyses and raised the issue of on-site checks, even with divers, to determine what really ends up in the sea.
He also referred to passing ships, saying that there are technological means, and even satellite imagery, that can help identify discharges and track their course.
DISY
On the occasion of the recent incidents of marine pollution, DISY calls for full publication of the laboratory results and clear answers about the possible sources of pollution, but also about the measures taken by the competent authorities.
Dr. Olympia Nisiforou, head of the Environment Portfolio of the party's Government Work Monitoring Council, points out that the problem is not new and that there are already data, studies and recorded incidents from previous years. In its announcement, it emphasizes that the aim is to utilize this knowledge, so that each new incident is not treated piecemeal, but that greater emphasis is placed on prevention, identifying the real causes and dealing with pollution at its source.
Citizens, as she states, are entitled to know:
what exactly was identified and analyzed,
what are the full results of the laboratory tests,
how they compare to previous incidents and studies,
which potential sources were examined and with what data they were or were not excluded;
what violations have been recorded over time and what measures have been taken,
how the full implementation of environmental and maritime legislation is ensured;
and what specific actions are being taken so that the problem is addressed at the source and not when it has already reached the beach.
