The leader of the Left Block (Bloco de Esquerda) this weekend accused entities in Olhão of continuing to send untreated sewage to the Ria Formosa, despite the recent inauguration of a Waste Water Treatment Plant (WWTP).
Catarina Martins was speaking at the loading dock from Olhão to the barrier islands and where one of the outfalls is located, stating that the failure to connect sewage to the new WWTP is “one of the examples of the supposedly bad environmental policy that has been followed”.
“A new WWTP was built to pretend that the problems of the Ria Formosa were being solved, but basic sanitation was not done to ensure that the sewage goes to the WWTP, so we continue to have discharges in the Ria”, she accused.
For the deputy, the discharges call into question the "balance of biodiversity" of the entire landscape that is "protected" at national and European levels and also the "economic activity of many families" of shellfish gatherers who "depend on the harvesting of bivalves", that “so often” is banned because the quality of the water “does not allow them to be caught”.
Giving as an example this case in Olhão, Catarina Martins underlined that basic sanitation “should no longer be an issue in municipal elections” in the 21st century, but stressed that this issue “is still a necessity that the municipalities have not responded to”.
The Bloco de Esquerda leader argued that it is necessary to "look at this sad and absurd reality" which is the "lack of basic sanitation in the country", arguing that it is "fundamental" to build basic infrastructure to protect the environment and public health.
In a speech that referred to upcoming local elections on September 26th, she said it is essential to "give strength" to the environmental project, for the protection of the country and its entire territory.
Original article available in Portuguese at http://postal.pt/
Comments
While promoting the Ria Formosa natural lagoon, a protected area with the strictest of rules, Olhao Council for years have ignored this public health hazard which sees raw sewage flowing into the lagoon 24/7/365.
Stand by the walkway to the ferry and marvel at the turds, condoms and tampons floating majestically into the harbour. It's laughable to see the new seahorse statue on one of the roundabouts when the population of this beautiful creature has been all but wiped out from its breeding grounds.
Mayor António Pina offers zero explanation for the sewage problem apart from blaming builders from decades ago and ''its all too difficult' to resolve. If Olhao wants to be a tourism destination, its Cãmara needs to grown some and fix this problem, not issue bland statements again and again while doing nothing to stop this environmental crime.