Tag Archives: Waste & sewage

Join Us on Saturday, December 28th, at 10:30 AM, in Plaça Conquesta, Maó

Views: 61

On Saturday, December 28th, a rally will be held to protest against the growing tourism saturation affecting Menorca. In 2024, we have once again surpassed previous years in terms of tourist numbers, and the Consell Insular has announced a significant increase in tourism promotion.

Summer overcrowding is planned in winter. On December 28th, in Plaça Conquesta, Maó, at 10:30 AM, we will come together to demand a better future. Bring your friends and join us!

Continue reading Join Us on Saturday, December 28th, at 10:30 AM, in Plaça Conquesta, Maó

Rewarding Illegal Pools?

Views: 74

The Alaior Town Council has granted a license to legalize the pools at the Torre Vella agrotourism site, ignoring the warning from the former Environmental Commission, which argued that environmental violations cannot be retroactively legalized.

Decree Law 3/2024, introduced by the Council last May under the guise of “administrative simplification,” actually modifies over 50 regulations. Among the most controversial changes are the lifting of bans on construction in flood-prone areas and the dissolution of the Environmental Commission. We are now starting to see the results of these changes.

Continue reading Rewarding Illegal Pools?

Water in Maó: opening more windows

Views: 63

Commenting on a sensitive topic always has its risks, yet advancing environmental issues has never been easy.

For weeks, there has been an ongoing discussion about the water crisis in Maó, stemming from the failure to notify citizens when an excess of nitrates was detected in the municipal water supply. The political cost of this incident is clear, with resignations, an extraordinary council meeting, and the launch of further investigations. Many are watching closely.

For these reasons, the GOB waited a few days before discussing the broader consequences of this water crisis: the economic, environmental, and social uncertainties it brings.

Continue reading Water in Maó: opening more windows

Maó’s water: an urgent and important matter

Views: 80

Elevated nitrate levels in Maó’s tap water bring a series of urgent issues that must be addressed with proper information.

Beyond these urgent matters lie several key causes—the root of the problem, which should not be overshadowed by media headlines.

The GOB advocates for a tariff revision, reducing rates for reasonable consumption and raising them significantly for excessive usage.

Continue reading Maó’s water: an urgent and important matter

Dangerous reclaimed water for irrigation

Views: 76

The chlorides in the treated water intended for irrigation in Sant Lluís double the maximum permitted levels. Over half of the water reaching the treatment plant may also contain other contaminants. Seven public supply wells could be affected if contamination occurs.

The GOB has submitted objections to the reclaimed water irrigation project that the Balearic Government’s Agriculture Department is promoting in Sant Lluís, warning of its lack of guarantees and the high contamination risks associated with it.

Continue reading Dangerous reclaimed water for irrigation

The Cap d’en Font housing development, fined for illegal sewage discharge

Views: 91

The presence of a pipe that had been discharging sewage onto the rocks at Cap d’en Font has resulted in a proposed fine of €150,000.

Last summer, GOB Menorca reported the illegal discharge of sewage from a house in Cap d’en Font, a residential area filled with large villas and lush green lawns but lacking a proper sewage system. The sewage had been flowing through a concealed pipe hidden among the vegetation, and eyewitnesses indicated that this had been an ongoing issue.

Continue reading The Cap d’en Font housing development, fined for illegal sewage discharge

Large Irrigations in Full Sun and Against the Law

Views: 121

In a year of severe drought, large forage irrigations continue to be seen watering during peak sun hours. In Menorca, this practice is prohibited by law. The GOB (Balearic Group of Ornithology and Defense of Nature) has written to the Department of Water Resources to request that large farms engaging in these practices be warned.

Continue reading Large Irrigations in Full Sun and Against the Law