Oroklini waters ‘a breeding ground for bacteria’, say Greens

THE Green Party on Friday expressed grave concerns about the dangers to public health from stagnant waters at the Oroklini coast which contain a high amount of organic compounds, meaning the water is a breeding ground for bacteria.

“We have received complaints about the terrible pollution caused by stagnant rainwater accumulated next to the Forest Beach building complex at the community borders of Oroklini and Pyla and the resulting problems with swarms of mosquitos breeding there,” the party’s statement said.

Due to the complaints, the water in Oroklini’s Verki canal next to the complex was analysed. The results of the analysis show high amounts of BODs and CODs, indicating an increased amount of organic compounds. Biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) and chemical oxygen demand (COD) are two different ways to measure how much oxygen the water will consume when it enters the wastewater.

In the report dated July 25, analysis lab Foodlab Ltd pointed out the increased amount of mosquitos in an area where children may play. It also confirms high amounts of various bacteria.

According to the Green party’s announcement, the matter is complicated by the fact that while the responsibility for the water quality lies with the agriculture ministry, the protection of residents and mosquito removal is the responsibility of the local authority, in this case the Larnaca district administration.

A further complication, the party stated, is that the increased organic load is due to sewage from nearby houses which has ended up in the canal.

The party called on all responsible authorities to immediately look into the matter and resolve the problem.

The Cyprus Mail is the only English-language daily newspaper published in Cyprus. It was established in 1945 and today, with its popular and widely-read website, the Cyprus Mail is among the most trusted news sites in Cyprus. The newspaper is not affiliated with any political parties and has always striven to maintain its independence. Over the past 70-plus years, the Cyprus Mail, with a small dedicated team, has covered momentous events in Cyprus’ modern history, chronicling the last gasps of British colonial rule, Cyprus’ truncated independence, the coup and Turkish invasion, and the decades of negotiations to stitch the divided island back together, plus a myriad of scandals, murders, and human interests stories that capture the island and its -people. Observers describe it as politically conservative.