Sicily's coastal waters found 70% polluted in latest Legambiente monitoring

Legambiente’s Goletta Verde monitoring sampled 23 points across six Sicilian provinces (Messina, Trapani, Palermo, Catania, Caltanissetta, Agrigento) between late June and early July. Sixteen marine sites and seven at river mouths or discharge points were tested. Seventy percent of the sites (16) exceeded legal limits for microbiological quality, while the remaining 30% complied.

Heavy contamination was recorded at Aci Trezza (Catania), a spot repeatedly flagged since 2020 due to chronic sewage‑treatment failures and slow progress on a new collector. Other strongly polluted locations included river mouths in Agrigento: the Cansalamone stream at Sciacca, the Naro river at Cannatello, and the Palma river at Marina di Palma. Volunteers unfurled a “Che Vergogna” banner at the Aci Trezza monitoring site, complained about debris from Cyclone Harry, and called for urgent remedial action. Few beach signage or water‑quality information boards were observed at the sampled sites.