Balluta bay sand replenishment completed

A beach nourishment exercise at Balluta Bay, between St Julian’s and Sliema, has been completed, with the bay officially open to the public, Tourism minister Konrad Mizzi said yesterday.

In a statement, the Tourism ministry said that the works on the beach had been studied for a number of months before implementation of “experimental” methods to replenish the bay’s sand.

The ministry said that environmental and scientific studies had been carried out to determine the best way of recovering sand that had been dragged out and lost by sea currents.

The beach has now been equipped with life guards, showers and a beach supervisors.

The minister noted that the bay was not a permanent one, and was likely to require further replenishment in the future.

Mizzi said that his ministry would be looking to carry out similar exercises at other bays, in a bid to continue improving Malta’s credentials as a tourist destination.

On Sunday morning, it was reported that a black substance had been poured over the steps leading down to the bay. While originally believed to be an act of vandalism, it was later reported that the substance was actually the result of a leak in the main water supply in Manuel Dimech Street. Foundation for Tourism Zones staff were stationed at the beach the to clean the steps.