The hidden truths about Malta’s degrading bathing water and beaches
They polluted the sea.
The story of poor bathing water and beach closures in Malta.
Government’s official data shows bathing closures linked to sewage, foul water, sewer overflow, drainage faults, runoff and faecal-indicator bacteria. After a disastrous summer in 2025, this year’s season has opened with poor water classifications and a new sewage warning.
The story in three numbers
85×
the normal E. coli limit
The maximum located reading was at Qawra: 85,000 E. coli per 100 ml of sea water, against the 1,000 threshold limit stated in the official report.
By the start of June, the official trail already showed repeated poor classifications, a health warning at Exiles Bay, and a new Birżebbuġa sewage-percolation notice.
E. coli is not a political word. It is an official warning sign of faecal contamination.
The European Environment Agency says E. coli and intestinal enterococci are “important indicators of faecal contamination” in bathing water. Some E. coli strains can cause severe disease, and European health authorities warn that dangerous E. coli infections can lead to a life-threatening kidney complication.
The point is direct: faecal contamination is a public-health warning sign, not just an ugly headline.
These are laboratory results from official closure reports, measured as cfu per 100 ml.
1
Qawra, near percolation20 August 2025 · E. coli
85,000
2
Qawra bathing area20 August 2025 · E. coli
62,000
3
Fond Għadir, near overflow19 June 2025 · E. coli
34,659
4
Wilġa Street, St Julian’s14 July 2025 · E. coli and intestinal enterococci
34,659
5
Wilġa Street, St Julian’s29 July 2025 · E. coli
34,659
6
Xlendi Bay21 June 2025 · E. coli
12,687
Sources: EHD temporary closure reports for Qawra, Fond Għadir, Wilġa Street and Xlendi Bay, linked below.
Miriam Dalli’s failed promise
Sewage warning four weeks after Minister Miriam Dalli promised that repairs were complete.
On 12 May 2026, Minister Minister Dalli said Pretty Bay drainage works were “completed in time” for summer and that the area was “better equipped to serve residents, businesses and visitors for many years to come”. But, on 8 June, the public was told not to bathe nearby because of “percolation of sewage into the sea”.
The new season opened with poor sites and a closure.
The 2026 reports cannot be brushed aside as last year’s problem. In the first three published weeks, Government’s water monitoring website already shows repeated poor ratings at Balluta Bay and early poor or sufficient ratings at nearby central-coast bathing areas. Week 2 also recorded a health warning for Exiles Bay.
Early 2026 official classifications
Balluta Bay, right sidePoor Week 1Poor Week 2Poor Week 3
Balluta Bay, left sidePoor Week 1Poor Week 2Sufficient Week 3
St George’s Bay, right sideSufficient Week 1Sufficient Week 2Poor Week 3
Ġnejna BayPoor Week 1Poor Week 2Sufficient Week 3
Exiles Bay sandy beachGood Week 1Closed Week 2Excellent Week 3
The Week 2 classification report stated: “Health Warning issued at time of publication by the Environmental Health Directorate” and marked Exiles Bay sandy beach as closed.
“Poor” is not a beach review. It is a bacteria-based official classification.
The 2026 EHD report states that site classification is based on intestinal enterococci and Escherichia coli. It also explains that a poor rating indicates consistent higher-than-normal results close to threshold limits and is calculated from the samples collected from the site.
In October 2024, the Court of Justice of the European Union ruled against Malta over urban wastewater treatment. The judgment says Malta failed to take the necessary measures to ensure wastewater from Malta South and Malta North was properly treated before discharge, and failed on monitoring obligations.
So when 2025 closure files later recorded sewage, foul water, sewer overflow and faecal-indicator bacteria at bathing sites, this was not happening in a vacuum.
The 2025 closure files show what the word “poor” can lead to: advice not to bathe, daily sampling, temporary closure reports and explicit official references to sewage, foul water and sewer overflow.
18 days
Marsascala
Between St Thomas Bay and the Fajtata area
28 May–5 June 2025
foul water / wastewater pipe fault
Official report: foul water, possibly sewage, discharged from a gutter; investigation found a wastewater pipe not properly connected.
People are being asked to trust the sea. The official files say the sea has been repeatedly closed.
The strongest evidence is not a slogan. It is in government’s own paperwork: closures, sewage warnings, foul-water reports, daily samples, E. coli, intestinal enterococci, and repeated problem sites at the very start of the 2026 bathing season.
Public-health context: EHD says bathing is only not recommended in closed sites; the EEA says E. coli and intestinal enterococci are indicators of faecal contamination. Links are listed below.
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Action taken
The PN has been acting to stop this abuse!
9 Jul 2025
Raised directly with the European Commissioner.
MEP Peter Agius met Environment Commissioner Jessika Roswall and pressed for full implementation of EU environmental standards in Malta, citing repeated beach closures caused by sewage spills.
18 Jul 2025
Called for independent seawater testing.
He formally called on Commission services to consider an independent audit and sampling of Malta’s seawater quality after the removal of sensitive-area designations near sewage-treatment plants.
2026 PETI
Took citizens’ petition to Europe.
The European Parliament’s Petitions Committee heard the Malta sewage petition; reports say the Commission representative indicated that latest readings still pointed to continued breach of EU rules.
