WRITTEN QUESTION E-2942/97 by Rolf Linkohr (PSE) to the Commission (17 September 1997)

Subject: Quality of the sea water off the coast of Gran Canaria between San Augustín and Bahia Felix

1. Can the Commission say if the quality of the sea water off the coast between San Augustín and Bahia Felix has been seriously impaired in the past 25 years by the discharge of untreated sewage at Nueva Europa, exacerbated by the growth of local tourism?

2. Does the Commission know with what technology the sewage treatment plants in the region operate?

3. Can the Commission say how much EU assistance has gone to this coast in the past ten years? For what projects was it intended, and what stage have they reached?

4. Can the Commission say anything about the views of doctors working in the region on the threat to the health of bathers?

5. Does the Commission know how the Spanish Government has handled complaints by the local police and population in this respect?

6. Can the Commission confirm that since 1972 there has been a commitment to a 3-km extension of the discharge pipe out to sea, without anything having been done about its construction?

7. Can the Commission say if the beach concerned was correctly awarded the 'Blue Flag' of the EU environmental report on seven occasions from 1990 to 1996?

8. Can the Commission confirm that the apparent difference in the quality of the sea water off the coast at Playa de Inglés and Maspalomas is due solely to the greater distance the sewage discharge pipes extend out to sea and that here again untreated sewage is discharged into the sea?

Answer given by Mrs Bjerregaard on behalf of the Commission (13 November 1997)

1. The Commission has no information indicating that the water quality near the beach of San Agustín has deteriorated over the last 10 years. On the contrary, all information delivered by the Spanish authorities shows that the bathing waters comply with the guide (stricter) values of the bathing water quality Directive 76/160/EEC ((OJ L 31, 5.2.1976. )).

2. and 6. According to the urban waste water treatment Directive 91/271/EEC ((OJ L 135, 30.5.1991. )), the deadlines for meeting the obligations concerning the collection and treatment of urban waste water have not yet been reached. They are set at 31 December 1998, 31 December 2000 or 2005 depending on the size of the agglomeration and the sensitivity of the receiving waters. However, the Commission has made some inquiries which indicate that the treatment plant serving San Bartolomé de Tirajana (the community where the beaches San Agustín and Bahía Feliz are located) is using tertiary treatment. This means at least biological treatment and disinfection. 90% of the treated waste water is reused for irrigation. The other 10% of the treated water is discharged into the sea by a long sea outfall of 1 250 meters at a depth of 23 meters, 2 kilometres away from the beach off San Agustín. The current, wind and the enormous water body of the ocean will in general provide sufficient dilution of this treated waste water and residual contaminants to take away possible dangers for human health or the environment. In about 2 years 100% of the treated waste water will be reused.

3. The reform of the Community Structural Funds, under way since 1989, is based inter alia on the programming principle, according to which Community aid is granted as a matter of priority through the co-financing of operational programmes. Each programme includes a number of multiannual measures which, depending on circumstances, comprise one or more projects. Project information is given out by the competent authority of the Member State, which in this instance is the Minister for Economic Affairs.

4. and 5. No, because this does not fall within the Community's field of competence.

7. In accordance with the answer given to question 1, the Commission has no indication that there have been irregularities in awarding a blue flag to the beach of San Agustín. The beach of Bahía Feliz never applied for a blue flag.

8. In accordance with its answer to question 1, the Commission has no indication of apparent water quality differences between the beaches of San Agustín, Bahía Feliz, Playa del Inglés, Playa Maspalomas or the other beaches located in the community of San Bartolomé de Tirajana. As mentioned above, there is no indication that untreated sewage water is discharged into the sea.