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Bathing Water Profile PROFILE 13

ANCHOR BAY (IL-PRAJJIET)

JUNE 2013

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Brief description and importance of water profiles

This is one of a series of 29 profiles that cover all 87 identified bathing waters of the Maltese Islands. Bathing water profiles are established in accordance with Directive 2006/7/EC Article 6, regulation 11, and Schedule III of the Regulations as transposed by Legal Notice 125 of 2008 and amended by Legal Notice 237 of 2011. These regulations concern the management of bathing water in relation to the reduction of gastroenteritis and other waterborne health risks originating from faecal sources and other routes of pollution.

In essence, bathing water quality is monitored for 23 weeks each year in different bathing areas in the Maltese Islands by the Environmental Health

Directorate. The monitoring period corresponds with the official bathing season that traditionally opens on the third week of May and closes in the third week of October (National Statistics Office, 2004). Bathing water quality is classified according to Directive 2006/7/EC as ‘excellent’, ‘good’, ‘sufficient’ or ‘poor’ using the symbols shown in Figure 1 below. Water quality data from the European Commission was last updated in 2012 (Figure 2); the latest figures classify 96.6% of the Maltese Island’s bathing waters as of excellent quality, with a very slight decline when compared to the previous year

(European Environmental Agency, 2012).

Figure 1: Bathing water star classification from left to right: ‘excellent’, ‘good’, ‘sufficient’ and ‘poor’.

Excellent Quality Good Quality Sufficient Quality Poor Quality

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Figure 2: Results of bathing water quality in Malta from 2005 to 2012

(European Environment Agency, 2012)

Bathing water profiles play an important role in addressing management issues and in implementing more effective measures. The purpose of the bathing water profile is to help the bather make an informed choice. The profile gives information about the bathing water quality, including the potential pollution risks at the site and records the measures used to improve the quality of the bathing water.

In addition, information on the physical, geographical and hydrological characteristics, together with a history of water quality is provided in the overview data section. This information is made available to the general public by means of posters exhibited on site in accordance with the provisions of Regulation 16 of Legal Notice 125 of 2008 (amended by Legal Notice 237 of 2011).

Key information:

• Bathing water name: Anchor Bay (Il-Prajjiet)

• Bathing water ID number: MT0150153700000C06

• Location: Malta / Mellieħa / Anchor Bay Year of Identification: 1996

• Local Council Areas: Mellieħa

• Description of bathing beaches: The Bay is surrounded by rocky slopes on either side whilst the seabed within the Bay consists of a blend of sand and rocky patches with minor pebble tracts at the mouth of the Bay. The Bay is dominated by the small theme park, known as Popeye Village (Sweethaven).

• Monitoring Points: One monitoring point (MT0150153700000C06) is used to test water quality from this bathing water as shown in Figure 4.

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General description of bathing waters and surrounding areas

This bathing water is located along Malta’s north western coast at the limits of Mellieħa (Figure 4). It comprises of a small inlet surrounded by headlands. The terrestrial area at Anchor Bay has partly conserved its natural context since the site was used as a film set in the early 1980s. Several rustic and ramshackle wooden buildings were constructed within the Bay for this purpose. The setting was given the name ‘Popeye Village’ or Sweethaven and remained as such up to the present day (Figure 3). The recreational hamlet at Anchor Bay is privately owned and has been converted to a mini theme park and an open-air

museum which attracts numerous tourists, especially during the summer months. Figure 3: Popeye village (Sweethaven)

Figure 4: Location of bathing water and monitoring point location

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It comprises a small fun park at road level

and some authentic wooden buildings,

some of which have been converted to

souvenir shops and food and beverage

establishments over time (Figure 5). The

area is also commonly used by a small

number of fishermen. Furthermore,

agricultural fields and garrigue characterise

the landward area surrounding the Bay.

Figure 5: Anchor Bay’s bathing water surrounding land uses

In 2010, a survey revealed that Anchor

Bay was the thirteenth most popular dive

site in Malta. Furthermore it ranked

second for cave diving (Adi Associates

Environmental Consultants Ltd, 2010).

The coastal area forms part of a Special

Area of Conservation of International

Importance designated under the Habitats

Directive 92/43/EEC and Government

Notice 223 of 2005, as declared through

the provisions of the Flora, Fauna and

Natural Habitats Regulations of 2006

(Legal Notice 311 of 2006). Furthermore,

the rocky steppe, boulder scree and

garrigue surrounding Anchor Bay are

designated as Areas of Ecological

Importance (AEI) and form part of the

Natura 2000 network.

In the vicinity of the bathing water there is

the discharge of treated sewage effluent.

This location is some one kilometre away

(Google Earth) at ic-Cumnija, near the

sewage treatment plant. According to

Axiak (2004), there was another outfall at

Anchor Bay but this was no longer

operational.

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Anchor Bay’s rocky shore is home to a wide variety of coastal marine life, including Cuckoo Wrasse (Labrus mixtus) and a variety of moray eels, scorpion fish, groupers, parrot fish and octopus (www.scubadiving.com.mt/dive-sites/2-

general/43-anchor-bay). Some Neptune Grass meadows (Posidonia oceanica) are also located in the vicinities of the bathing water area, making it an important location for breeding and nesting of several species of fish and invertebrates.

Bathing Water History

Official bathing water quality data, for the area at Anchor Bay dates back to 1996. Weekly tests, particularly during the bathing season, have been carried out every year since at the sampling point shown in Figure 3. The site continues to be regularly monitored by the Health Inspectorate Services within the Environmental Health Directorate (EHD) as part of its Bathing Water Monitoring Programme. The Public Health Laboratory Services (PHLS) within the Environmental Health Directorate carry out all tests for microbiological parameters, as required under the Management of Bathing Water Quality Regulations, 2008 (L.N. 125 of 2008 as amended by L.N. 237 of 2011). Since 1996, water quality was tested for faecal coliforms counts/100ml, total coliforms counts/100ml, and faecal

streptococci counts/100ml, and classified according to the Barcelona Convention Interim Criteria (BCIC) Site Classification for Faecal Coliforms Counts. During this time the water quality data was classified in accordance with the Bathing Water Directive 76/160. Tests for this site conformed to both the EC requirements between 2005 and 2008 and to the BCIC classification. From 2009, the classification of water quality was based on the new EU Bathing Water Directive 2006/7/EC, which involves measuring counts/100ml for Escherichia coli and Intestinal Enterococci. The overall trend for water quality classification at Anchor Bay under EU Directive 2006/7/EC was ‘Excellent’. Table 1 below describes how bathing waters are defined while Table 2 provides a summary of water quality classifications for the period 2009 to 2012:

Table 1: Classification of Bathing Waters

2006/7/EC Classification

Based on four years data

Escherichia coli (cfu/100 ml) < 250 Excellent quality < 500

Good quality > 500

Sufficient quality

Intestinal Enterococci (cfu/100 ml) < 100 Excellent quality < 200

Good quality > 200

Sufficient quality

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Table 2: Water quality classification at Anchor Bay (2009-2012)

Note that ‘C06’ is a direct reference to MT0150153700000C06. The data tabulated above and further information is available at the Ministry for Health website (https://ehealth.gov.mt/HealthPortal/public_health/environmental-

health/health_inspectorate/env._hlt._risk_management/envhealth_bathingwater09.aspx).

Sources of Pollution

Since the coastal area abutting the bathing water is predominantly rocky coast, pollution from land based sources is limited. The treated sewage effluent outfall at iċ-Ċumnija no longer discharges raw sewage, as it used to do in the past. The outfall discharges treated water under normal plant conditions. The outfall which previously discharged raw sewage at Anchor Bay was closed and is no longer operational. In addition, Reverse Osmosis brine reject originating from area nearby farm on the southern

side of the Bay was discharged at the bathing water (Figure 6). This point of discharge seems not to be covered by an environmental permit. In any case, such effluent might increase the levels of temperature and salinity in the surrounding waters. The area is used for recreational activities including diving, fishing and leisure. All of these activities might generate various amounts of waste. Unfortunately, some minor illegal dumping and littering was

2006/7/EC Classification

Based on four years data

Bathing Water ID Nnumber

Year Escherichia coli Intestinal

Enterococci Overall

Classification

2012

C06 Excellent Excellent Excellent

2011

C06 Excellent Excellent Excellent

2010

C06 Excellent Excellent Excellent

2009

C06 Excellent Excellent Excellent

2012

Excellent Quality

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recorded in the area (Axiak, 2004). A

nearby area is also used for parking cars.

Vehicles can also access the ramp leading

to a concrete quay that protrudes out up

to the middle of the Bay. Given the slope

of the land towards the sea, storm water

run-off could carry litter and fuel / oil

spills towards the sea (Figure 7). However

these are unlikely to affect the bathing

water quality since the summer season is

relatively dry and the area is not heavily

used. Besides, boats berthed in the bay

could be a potential source of small oil

spills, sewage and litter, all of which

would have an impact on marine life and

on the quality of the bathing water.

Figure 6: Private Reverse Osmosis

discharge point

Figure 7: Discharges to bathing water and monitoring point at Anchor Bay

Mitigation Measures

Since the coastal area abutting the bathing

water is protected under the Habitats

Directive as a Special Area of Conservation

of International Importance and is part of

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the Natura 2000 network, there are several mitigation measures that are being implemented on land in order to safeguard the environmental integrity of the area. Several waste receptacles are already present around the bathing water inlet; hence bathers and visitors are encouraged

to make correct use of such waste bins and stream waste by type. In addition, management plans are being prepared for all Natura 2000 sites in the Maltese Islands. It is expected that such Plans would take into account the activities on the site and propose measures to safeguard the site.

Assessment for the potential proliferation of Cyanobacteria

Cyanobacteria (blue-green algae) require a nutrient rich body of water, light and high temperatures. Sources of these nutrients can be multiple, including diffuse land-based activities such as agricultural practices, animal husbandry and domestic sewage production. Storm water run-off,

which might carry nutrients towards the bathing water, and brine reject from a private reverse osmosis plant may increase the temperature of water at the point of discharge. However, it is unlikely that there is a potential risk for the proliferation of cyanobacteria within the bathing water.

Assessment of the potential for proliferation of macro-algae and/or phytoplankton

Phytoplankton growth depends on carbon dioxide, nitrates, phosphates and silicic acid. Sources of these nutrients can be multiple, including diffuse land-based activities such as agricultural practices, animal husbandry and domestic sewage production. No tests recording parameters

of these chemicals seem to have been carried out in the bathing water area at Anchor Bay. Given the context of the surrounding landscape and land uses in the area, the bathing water at Anchor Bay is unlikely to be at risk of proliferation of macro-algae or phytoplankton.

What should one do if a pollution incident is noticed?

If one sees a water pollution incident, you should immediately contact the Environmental Health Directorate through the Automated Telephone System, which is operated 24 hours. Phone: 21827146

Or by calling the Environmental Health Directorate during Office Hours:

Phone: 21337333

Or After Office Hours / Weekends / Public Holidays:

Malta – 79509918 Gozo – 79509919

When a pollution incident is reported or pollution is found to be affecting the water quality of official bathing areas, an

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immediate investigation is instigated by the Environmental Health Officers. All possible sources of pollution within the area are checked together with the relevant Competent Authorities. In addition, a resample will be collected to monitor whether the beach is still polluted.

Bathing waters may be closed by the Environmental Health Directorate in accordance with the provisions of Legal Notice 125 of 2008, Regulation 7, until the water quality has improved and levels of bacteria are within mandatory standards in accordance to the provisions of Regulation 8 of the same legal notice.

General Contact Details:

Address:

Telephone: +356 21337333 Fax: +356 21344767 Email: complaints.ph@gov.mt mhi@gov.mt URL: https://ehealth.gov.mt/HealthPortal/public_health/environmental-health/health_inspectorate/env._hlt._risk_management/envhealth_bathingwater09.aspx

References:

Adi Associates Environmental Consultants Ltd. (2010). Diving Master Plan for Malta, Dive Site Adi Associates Environmental Consultants Ltd. (2010). Diving Master Plan for Malta, Dive Site Report 12: Finger Anchor Bay (Mellieħa). San Ġwann: Author.

Axiak, V. (2004). National Diagnostic Analysis for Malta for the reduction and elimination of land based pollution. Version 22: January 2004.

European Environment Agency (2012). Bathing water results 2012 – Malta.

Environmental Health Directorate Health Inspectorate Services Continental Business Centre Triq il-Ferrovija, Santa Venera, SVR 9018 Malta.

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National Statistics Office (2004). Bathing water quality in the Maltese Islands., News Release 131/2004. Valletta: Library and Information Unit, National Statistics Office.

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13.1 June 2013