Clean Ħondoq or a chlorinated pool?

Published on the Times of Malta on Saturday, 18th September 2010 by Charles Sammut.

A new Spanish study, published in the US journal Environmental Health Perspectives on September 12 reveals that swimming in chlorinated pools can increase the risk of cancer for swimmers.

A group of swimmers bathing in an indoor chlorinated pool were studied for indicators of permanent DNA mutation or mutagenicity by researchers from the Barce lona-based Centre of Research in Environmental Epidemiology (CREAL) and Research Institute Hospital del Mar.

“The evidence of genotoxic ef fects were observed in 49 healthy adults after swimming for 40 minutes in a chlorinated pool,” the researchers said.

Yet, in Gozo there is this beautiful bay named Ħondoq that is ideal for public swimming. Always clean and refreshing, it is in my opinion the best swimming site on the Maltese islands.

Yet, Mepa and the government keep toying with the idea of allowing some shrewd speculators who bought the surrounding land for cheap to build a marina down there and de facto take the swimming away from the public for good.

After reading the recent Spanish report I wonder where one would rather swim; at beautiful Ħondoq or in a chlorinated pool? It is about time the Parliamentary Secretary for Tourism did not allow this gross atrocity to happen and take a stand and tell Mepa that Malta cannot afford one fewer beach of Ħondoq’s stature.

To view whole article, go to http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20100918/letters/clean-hondoq-or-a-chlorinated-pool