Arpa Campania has completed the series of pre-season checks on the entire regional coastline intended for seaside use. Out of 399 sea water samples taken, 16 showed values of microbiological parameters above the limits, which were largely reduced with additional sampling. The swimmability of the “Pietrarsa” stretch in Naples, previously prohibited, emerges. (CLICK HERE FOR FULL INFORMATION)
The monitoring began on 15 April, as per the regional calendar, with considerable difficulties due to adverse weather and sea conditions for carrying out missions at sea on board the nautical vehicles of the agency fleet led by specialized personnel from the Sea Unit of the Arpac Technical Directorate.
So far the technicians of the Arpac provincial departments of Caserta, Naples and Salerno have carried out 328 ordinary and 71 extraordinary withdrawals. The results of the samples analyzed in the Arpac laboratories, according to the criteria established by the sector regulations, highlighted values exceeding the legal limits for the microbiological parameters that define bathing suitability (Escherichia coli and fecal enterococci) – as mentioned – in 16 samples carried out in the sea areas indicated in the table.
No particular management measures are envisaged on waters of “poor” quality and in areas not used for bathing (Analysis type: Extra) as they are sea waters already prohibited for bathing, however the analytical findings for the purposes of of a possible rehabilitation to recover bathing conditions. For “Sant’Angelo”, the municipality of Serrara Fontana has already undertaken actions that could remove the critical issues connected to the malfunctioning of the pipeline by starting replacement work on approximately 200 meters of it.
In general, the overflows recorded in “not scarce” waters affected the provinces of Naples and Salerno due to occasional and/or structural problems. However, no abnormal values were recorded along the Caserta coast.
In the province of Naples, the non-compliances affected the municipalities of Casamicciola Terme (“Punta La scrofa” section), Sant’Agnello (“Spiaggia di Sant’Agnello” section) and a study point in Meta (“Purgatorio”). However, pollution phenomena have subsided on the Sorrento coast as demonstrated by the favorable results of the additional sampling carried out on 28 April, while bathing in the municipality of Casamicciola Terme remains banned to this day due to problems associated with repairs to the sewer pipe.
The microbiological analyzes carried out in the so-called Eme samples (in emergency) for the sighting of streaks of foam in Punta Lagno di Massa Lubrense, in the Spiaggia delle Fumarole in Serrara Fontana and in the bathing water called “Stazione di Santa Maria la Bruna” comply with the regulatory values ” in the municipality of Torre del Greco (table). Further investigations were carried out in these stretches which require longer response times to evaluate any chemical contamination (surfactants and hydrocarbons) and the presence of potentially toxic microalgae (phytoplankton).
Of note is the data, comforting for the eastern outskirts of Naples, of the readmission to bathing of the stretch called “Pietrarsa”.
This stretch, which was historically in the “poor” class, is again suitable for bathing after the rehabilitation initiatives implemented by the municipal administration and documented to the Region, in line with the legal requirements, and following the results of the sampling carried out, which confirmed the removal of the pollution. This stretch of sea is therefore suitable for bathing and considered to be of “new classification” until the useful data set required by the law for the attribution of the specific quality class is reached.
Similarly, in the province of Salerno, the “Maiori 2” stretch in Maiori and “Spiaggia di Minori” in Minori have been readmitted to bathing. Both from “poor” become swimmable again and also defined as having a new classification. For these stretches, the Municipalities, in synergy with the water service manager, have documented to the Region a series of structural interventions carried out on the sewerage network and purification plants, which could explain the improvement in the quality of the bathing water confirmed by the compliant analytical data of Arpac monitoring.
As far as temporary bans in the waters of the Amalfi Coast are concerned, the polluting event in the municipality of Maiori (“Maiori Beach 1”) was immediately resolved with the sampling of 29 April, while more time was required to lift the ban on Cetara (“Marina di Cetara”). Here the first additional samples reported unfavorable results and only subsequently, with the compliant results on 8 May, was the stretch readmitted to bathing.
For Cetara, already during the inspection on 16 April the Arpac technicians had detected an anomalous release into the sea near the study point in front of the Cetus stream, promptly reported to the Port Authority of Salerno which then activated the Cetara Coast Guard. The polluting causes were then removed, as documented to the competent authorities by the managing body of the integrated water service and confirmed by the analytical findings.
Further non-conformities occurred in the Sele plain in the sea areas of the municipalities of Eboli (the “North mouth of Sele” section) and Capaccio (the “Villaggio Merola” section) close to the mouth of the Sele river, a presumable source of contamination, but the withdrawals in early May then allowed the temporary ban to be lifted.
The monitoring will continue, as per law, in compliance with the regional programmatic act (Regional Council resolution n.128 of 18.03.2024) until 30 September. As usual, in order to guarantee correct and timely information to the public, Arpac provides in real time to make all the monitoring data accessible and usable, both on its institutional website and on the Water Portal of the Ministry of Health and at the same time on the special “Arpac Balneazione” app for mobile devices and – for the most relevant news – on your profile X profile. Photos and information from the National System for the Protection of the Environment.
