The Mancomunidad de Municipios de la Costa Tropical has announced that the scum floating off the beaches of Los Yesos and Melicena is not from the sewage, pumping station.

The Mayor of Sorvilán, had pointed the accusing finger at the Mancomunidad and the company that is running the nearby sewage, pumping station yet the response has been that after exhaustive tests the culprit is an invasive species of seaweed… the dreaded Asian Algae.

Bathers disagree and have complained bitterly about the state of the water off the beaches. They firmly believe that despite what the Mancomunidad claims, it is the presence of waste water coming from a nearby sewage plant, or better said, pumping station.

“We have carried out a thorough inspection of the installations and found that they are working correctly,” assured the Chairman of the Mancomunidad, Rafael Caballero.

He added that the Junta de Andalucía carry out periodic checks on seawater off beaches along Costa Tropical and that, had they found something, they would have informed the Mancomunidad and closed the beaches.

He finished by “reminding” the Mayor of Sorvilán that it is the responsibility of the Town Halls to keep their beaches and seawater clean; i.e. skiffs picking up flotsam.

The projected, sewage-treatment plant of La Mamola, which will provide sewage disposal for the area, is at the stage were the plot of land needed is undergoing compulsory purchase and that construction work should commence within the last quarter of this year.

Lastly, the Mancomunidad will commence work in Sorvilán to improve water pressure for Melicena with a budget of 16,000 euros.

Editorial comment: Asian seaweed? Seaweed doesn’t float on the surface with the appearance of scum or froth. None of the sewage-treatment plants along the coast are designed to cope with summer population figures and in the summer, sewage systems cannot cope with the tremendous demand on them. Therefore, Asian seaweed, my donkey!

(News: Sorvilan, Costa Tropical, Granada, Andalucia)

Reader’s comment: “We always knew that the beach was wet “because the sea weed”, we could deal with that; no difference to little Jimmy in the swimming pool. Now you tell us there are donkeys (on the beach?) maybe that’s where the solid stuff is coming from, or maybe it’s “bulls**t” from the town hall?” – George