Limassol: Bathing waters in the Lady’s Mile area, in Limassol, have been confirmed to be of excellent quality, with no signs of environmental degradation, according to Theodoulos Mesimeris, the Director of the Department of Environment. This declaration was made in response to concerns raised by a recent announcement from the British Bases in Akrotiri advising the public to avoid swimming in the area until further clarification on water quality was provided.
According to Cyprus News Agency, Mesimeris emphasized that there is no need for the public to avoid the area. He stated that the Department of Environment, as the competent authority under the European Bathing Waters Directive, had conducted thorough assessments using specific methodologies. The findings confirmed that the waters meet the highest standards set by the directive. The Department of Environment, under the Ministry of Agriculture, is responsible for implementing these provisions.
Mesimeris assured that both regular and extraordinary monitoring measures following established protocols have consistently shown that the Lady’s Mile bathing waters are of excellent quality. He addressed inquiries about why the British Bases conducted their tests, clarifying that the Bases are not responsible for monitoring water quality as per the institutional framework.
The British Bases had announced earlier that additional test results for water quality in the Lady’s Mile area would be available by the week’s end, with more comprehensive results expected next week. Mesimeris reiterated the Department of Environment’s authority in monitoring and addressing any water quality issues and suggested that discrepancies in results might be due to differences in sampling methodologies.
He concluded by affirming that the department’s monitoring practices are conducted with verified means and methodologies, ensuring the waters in the area maintain their excellent status.