Pietrasanta bans swimming at Fiumetto over water contamination

Mayor Alberto Stefano Giovannetti signed an ordinance that immediately prohibits bathing on the Fiumetto stretch of the Pietrasanta coastline, from the river mouth to the area before Via San Giovanni Bosco. The ban follows ARPAT water‑quality samples taken on 22 June that showed levels outside legal limits for bathing.

The municipality will request expedited retesting and aims to lift the restriction as soon as new analyses confirm compliance. Local lifeguard unions say the problem affects the entire Versilia coast from Viareggio to Forte dei Marmi, describing opaque, odorous water after a June storm, the presence of lavarone and repeated crab die‑offs.

If the follow‑up tests meet standards, the swimming ban could be revoked within days.