Eastside Sediment plume poses no risk to bathers, says Government

The Government has said the sediment plume visible off the Eastside is made up of uncontaminated silt from breakwater construction works and does not pose a risk to bathers.

In response to GBC questions, the Government said the plume is caused by material deposited to construct the breakwater, describing it as “silt” which it says is “not contaminated”.

It said there is no contamination with bacteria and confirmed the water is safe for bathing.

The Government told GBC bathing waters are routinely tested every fortnight, although this has recently been increased to weekly following reports of sewage issues in La Línea. The Government said all recent results have been clear and are published on the Environmental Agency website.

On why the sediment is not fully contained, the Government says contractors are required to use silt curtains to control the spread of sediment. If the curtains are damaged, the Department of the Environment requires work to stop until repairs are carried out.

The Government says the Environment Department remain in constant contact with the contractors and has, on several occasions, instructed work to stop when it was not satisfied or when sea conditions required it.

It notes that the works are being carried out by a private developer.

In a statement, the Environmental Safety Group told GBC it is encouraging residents in the area to continue reporting concerns linked to the Eastside reclamation project.

The group said public feedback on issues such as excessive sediment plumes, noise and marine impacts is essential.

Residents can report site activity to contact@jveastside.gi, while noise complaints should also be copied to the Environmental Agency at admin@eag.gi (Tel: 200 70620 or 58297000 outside office hours), and marine-related concerns to the Department of the Environment at beaches.environment@gibraltar.gov.gi.

The ESG said it will continue monitoring the situation, adding that effective communication between developers, regulators and the public is a key requirement of the project's Construction Environmental Management Plan.