Following the recent withdrawal of a Blue Flag from Playa Cala Mosca it seems that a second beach is now under threat of closure after an unexplained spill was found on the neighbouring Cala Estaca, this one of even greater concern as bathers warned of the appearance of a pool of greenish and smelly water, of unknown origin.
The beach, located in front of Playa Flamenca, has similar characteristics to Cala Mosca with everything indicating that the Adeac inspection (on July 21) was carried out prior to this new spill being detected at Cala Estaca.
The Council has cordoned off the area where the spillage has appeared off, with a tape.
The council has confirmed that they are following the same procedures, taking samples of the liquid to study its composition in order to identify it’s origin. The councillor for the Coast, Manuel Mestre, said that he has inspected the beach and is rather surprised at the alarm it has caused.
Bathers complain that these discharges, which appear during the day, would normally be removed when the beach service tractors clean and remove the sand during the evening.
The concern is also noted by the Lomas and Cabo Roig Neighborhood Association, which suggests a possible leak in a pipe.
Meanwhile, the Orihuela Costa Independence Party (PIOC) goes further and points to a pipeline that is located upstream, in Villamartín, close to the golf course, where work is pending to replace a pipe damaged during the 2019 Dana, with a grant from the Sewerage Renovation Funds.
At the moment the Council asks for bathers to remain calm and to wait for results of the tests which will provide more information. The area where the spillage is located, for now, has been cordoned off so that there is no public use.
Images courtesy AVCRL
Interestingly that residents in Calle Mira & Calle Hita area that run parallel to Canada de las Estacas channel that leads onto this beach have had issues for a number of years with flow of waste water and sewage from their properties.
That channel has not been maintained for well over a decade, land under pavements has disappeared with storms and tree roots are getting into the waste pipes which perhaps causing leaks to run to the beach.