2024-08-05 09:23:20
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If the majority of swimming in Corsica complies with the European quality requirements by the local health agency, around fifteen places still represent a health risk for bathers.
Before going out for a swim out to the sea or lounging on the beach, it is good to check that the quality of the water in which you are in is without risk to your health. For this, the regional health agency (ARS) of Corsica conducts an annual assessment of the water quality of the bathing sites. 230 sites, including 57 in fresh water (rivers, lakes) and 173 in the sea, are confirmed and divided into four categories: blue “excellent quality”, green “good quality”, yellow “sufficient quality” and red “insufficient quality”. Result: 93% of bathing water meets European quality requirements. That is, five points less than for the previous report published in 2023. Last year, analyzes showed that 98% of the shower water was contaminated.
The water quality has deteriorated in places. This is especially the case for the Minelli beach, in Ville-di-Pietrabugno, located between Bastia and the entrance to Cap Corse (Haute-Corse). This tiny little beach went from blue “excellent quality” in 2023 to red “insufficient quality” this summer. “This is a less frequented beach, located in an urban area and for which we have sometimes noted concerns about contamination by sewage networks”, explained Jean-Pierre Alessandri, deputy director of environmental health at the ARS of Corsica. There can be other causes in the origin of such damage: the presence of contaminated rainwater or even accidental pollution such as flooding of a sewage treatment plant. Without forgetting the high flow during the summer which can lead to space and pollution such as indoor discharges or uncontrolled discharge of sewage, for example.
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15 swimming spots to avoid
So we advise swimmers to avoid going to this place as in the other seven areas Mount Corsica : the fountain of Aléria, the Acitaja Bridge in Penta-di-Casinca, the Ernella-Base Kayak in Giuncaggio, the Chemin de Fer Bridge in Morosaglia, the Mulendina Bridge in Moltifao, the Elleracce Bridge in Murato, the Genoa Bridge in Olmeta -di-Tuda.
Inside South Corsica, the river is prohibited or to be avoided in the following areas: Ponte Vecchio in Bastelika, Cuttoli Bridge in Cuttoli-Cortichiato, Liamone Bridge in the areas of Coggia and Casaglione, Peri Bridge in Peri, Alzu-di-Gallina in Porto-Vecchio , the coast of Girolata in Osani and finally the part of Taravo between the bridge of Piconca on the area of Corrano and the bridge of Pinu on that of Ciamanacce. This last point is also the subject of a local order from July 15, 2021.
By swimming in these waters, vacationers and local residents take the risk of developing gastroenteritis after consuming contaminated water or even physical ailments. “Our analyzes are based on the search for two germs: Escherichia coli and enterococcus. Two bacteria that cause fecal contamination, underlines Jean-Pierre Alessandri. For now, he assured, we have no return of corruption cases after zero”.
Except in the rivers Cavu and Solenzara (South Corsica). In 2013, several cases of bilharzia were found in people swimming in this river. Infection of the urogenital system is caused by a parasite that is abundant in tropical and subtropical regions. It is carried by bulins, a type of snail, that is in the water. The following year, the river was banned from entering before it was opened again to the public under certain surveillance conditions. Since 2015, we have been analyzing every week on bullins to check whether or not they carry the parasite.
So it is preferable to go out for swimming in the sea, swimming in fresh water is more harmful: only 26% of them are of the best quality compared to 92% for swimming in the sea..
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