Twenty-nine samples analyzed, you are outside the legal limits. In Sardinia 21% of the points sampled are polluted.
According to the data provided this morning by Goletta Verde, during the press conference held in Olbia, at least 3 points were significantly out of the norm for having exceeded the mark by at least double: the Calamosca beach in Cagliari, the mouth of the San Giovanni (near via Garibaldi) in Alghero and the mouth of the Cuggiani river in San Pietro a Mare, in the municipality of Valledoria. The mouth of the Rio Foxi in Quartu Sant'Elena, the Cedrino river and the stretch of sea of the Bastioni Cristoforo Colombo, near the Sulis Tower, in Alghero are polluted. The data, Goletta Verde noted, is "slightly worsening and there are serious critical issues in the mouths of the rivers and in the Calamosca point. A worrying fact: the beach, among the busiest in Cagliari, requires quick and concrete solutions."
The numbers were illustrated by the regional President, Marta Battaglia: “Among the good news are the provinces of Oristano and Southern Sardinia in which all the monitored points were found to be clean, a sign of good practices. For our part, we intend to collaborate with all coastal authorities and municipalities to seek not only the origin of the problems but also the solution”.
Legambiente's analyzes are carried out by referring to the limit values established by the legislation on bathing water in force in Italy (Legislative Decree 116/2008 and implementing decree of 30 March 2010). The parameters investigated are microbiological: intestinal enterococci greater than 200 CFU/100 ml and/or Escherichia greater than 500 CFU/100ml represent an index of pollution while intestinal enterococci greater than 400 CFU/100 ml and/or Escherichia coli greater than 1000 CFU/100 ml indicate heavy pollution.
“We do not replace the relevant bodies or give bathing licenses – explained Mattia Lolli, spokesperson for Goletta Verde and national secretary of Legambiente – but we collect stimuli and complaints from citizens. We also sample the mouths of rivers because these points are often frequented by swimmers, or are close to bathing water, but also because we do not want to accept the principle that they must be open sewers".
The scientific sampling on the island, explained Elena Casu (goletta Verde regional sampling coordinator), was possible thanks to the adequately trained volunteers of the eight Sardinian clubs, and to the collaboration with a group of students from the environmental engineering faculty of the University of Cagliari, involved by Giorgio Querzoli (head of the Legambiente Sardegna scientific committee).
In the other provinces - Sassari and Cagliari - in addition to the aforementioned critical issues, all the other samples were within the limits. “This year we have included the novelty of the “special surveillance” where we have carried out various monitoring starting from May – concluded Lolli – in this case it is the Rio Cuggiani, in Valledoria where the withdrawals, for several years, and in recent months they have always confirmed the pollution.
Our appeal to citizens is to continue reporting problems to us." TV Daniele Nurra from the Olbia Harbor Office spoke at the presentation.