Mondragone – A joint operation by the Carabinieri of the Mondragone Operations Department, the Coast Guard and the Carabinieri Forestry Unit of Castel Volturno led to the preventive seizure of a wastewater lifting plant in the Pinetamare area, near the former “San Bartolomeo” dock.
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The provision, issued by the investigating judge of the Court of Santa Maria Capua Vetere at the request of the Public Prosecutor's Office, is the result of a complex investigation started after the discovery of a mass death of aquatic fauna in August 2023 in the waters in front of the dock.
Defective plant and illegal spills
The investigations, conducted with the technical support of Arpac Caserta, revealed serious structural deficiencies in the plant, privately owned, which prevent its proper functioning. During the inspections, the military found that the urban wastewater was not adequately lifted or conveyed to the sewer collector, ending up directly in the sea without any treatment.
Contaminated waters: a risk for the ecosystem
Chemical analyses have highlighted high concentrations of Escherichia coli and nitrogen, with a devastating impact on the marine ecosystem in the area. The contamination has compromised the quality of the water, putting at risk not only the environment but also public health.
Meanwhile, the seizure of the plant represents a first step to stop a pollution phenomenon that has been going on for a long time, with serious consequences for the territory. The Prosecutor's Office and the police forces continue to work to reconstruct the entire affair.
Article published on March 27, 2025 - 08pm
The article talks about a seizure but doesn't say much about how it got to this point, it seems that there were structural errors in the plant and that the water is not treated properly before ending up in the sea.