Sewer drainage pipe overflow “a tremendous threat to Formentera's brand of tourism”

Acting as spokesman to the Formentera Council cabinet, Bartomeu Escandell appeared before the public this morning to explain details behind the effluent overflows that took place Tuesday on the Formentera coastline. According to Escandell, the spillage—currently believed to have originated at the drainage pipe of the island's water treatment plant and provoked by the Stad Amsterdam watercraft—represents a “great threat to our way of life here on Formentera; a founding principle of tourism here is our crystalline waters”.

Escandell asserted: “Our demand that the Govern Balear accept responsibility for ensuring the proper functioning of both the treatment plant and drainage pipe in a way that takes into account the particular circumstances of the island” dates back “to well before our administration took office eight years ago; this is a demand first cast by preceding administrations”. The CiF spokesman affirmed that the issue would be at the top of the Council's list of priorities once the cabinet of the 2015 legislature is formed.

According to Escandell, Abaqua—the company contracted to manage the sewage treatment plant—has promised to send technicians to the island in the coming days to evaluate conditions at the facility.

Desalination plant resumes operations

Another question taken up this morning by Councillor Escandell was the proper working order of the Formentera desalination plant: “Two issues made waves on the island yesterday. One was the sewage pipe spillage and the other stemmed from failures at the seawater desalination facility, which have meant we've produced much less water than what we're consuming”.

On the heels of a meeting with desalination plant technicians from the Cadagua company and environmental councillor Daisee Aguilera, Escandell asserted: “The issue has been resolved. The equipment failures are being dealt with and between today and tomorrow the plant will regain its normal levels of output”.

The CiF spokesman asked the entire population of the island “to make a serious effort to reduce water consumption”, reminding residents that “this year, as in the two years past, we are in the middle of a severe dry spell which is effecting shortages in both the rural and urban zones of Formentera”.