Gaza sewage overflowing into Mediterranean Sea

Afghanistan Sun Friday 2nd May, 2008

With treatment plants out of action due to a lack of fuel, sewerage plants in Gaza are overflowing.

Massive amounts of sewage have had to be dumped into the Mediterranean Sea to prevent an outbreak of disease.

Now the United Nations is concerned the overflow into the sea will contaminate the water with bacteria making it unsafe for swimming.

Local fishermen are already saying the sewage is killing fish in the area.

A UN report says between fifty and sixty million liters of sewage have been pumped into the sea by necessity.

Treatment plants have been rendered inactive due to a lack of power. The power stations have been largely non-operational since fuel supplies were cut off by the Israeli blockade. The plants have also had their supplies of chemicals, required to treat the sewage, curtailed.

The Office of the UN Coordinator for Humanitarian Affairs fears the overflowing sewage will contaminate the sea with E Coli bacteria.

E coli bacteria can cause diarrhea, urinary tract infections, respiratory illness, and pneumonia.

The report says areas where the sewage is dumped into the sea, has resulted in the sea water taking on a dark brown colour, and emanating a strong odor.