Media: Gibraltar dumped untreated sewage into Mediterranean for decades

Untreated wastewater from almost 40,000 residents and businesses is being discharged directly into the sea because Gibraltar, a British overseas territory, lacks—now and historically—a sewage treatment facility.

For decades, raw sewage has flowed into the Mediterranean from the peninsula’s southernmost point at Europa Point, Caliber.Az reports, citing The Guardian.

The Gibraltar government maintains that the site benefits from “high levels of natural dispersion.”

The surrounding waters are designated for environmental protection, yet they are frequently found to contain “wet wipes and plastic pollution entangled in algae and all over the rocks,” according to Lewis Stagnetto of the Nautilus Project, a local conservation group.

Environmental experts warn that untreated sewage contamination can lead to toxic algal blooms that deplete oxygen in the water, suffocating marine life. It also exposes fish and marine mammals to a mix of harmful chemicals and microplastics that may interfere with reproduction and overall health, while posing risks to humans through the spread of pathogens and antibiotic-resistant organisms.

In contrast to the UK, Gibraltar’s sewage system relies on seawater, while its drinking water is produced through desalination.

The Gibraltar authorities argue that the high salinity “historically created challenges that are not present in other wastewater treatment plants around the world.”

The government also maintains that wet wipes, which “appear occasionally on our beaches have […] come from outlets in nearby Spain”.

In 2017, the European Court of Justice found that the UK had violated wastewater regulations by not ensuring Gibraltar’s sewage was properly treated. However, following Brexit, the European Commission no longer has the authority to enforce action in the case.

In June 2025, the Gibraltar authorities granted a 25-year contract to Eco Waters to construct a wastewater treatment facility at Europa Point. Preliminary work on design development and geotechnical studies has already started, and a planning application was lodged in March 2026.

By Bakhtiyar Abbasov