Stay out of sea, beachgoers warned

BEACH WARNING: Illegally dumped sewage has blackened waters close to Jumeirah Open Beach. (ITP Images)

Dubai Municipality and doctors have warned beachgoers to stay out of the sea as illegally dumped sewage has contaminated parts of the emirate’s shoreline.

The sewage has blackened the waters surrounding Dubai Offshore Sailing Club, close to Jumeirah Open Beach, and further up the coast in the same area, according to Dubai tabloid 7 Days.

The advice comes just days before the Eid public holiday, which traditionally sees families flock to the city’s beaches.

Mohammed Abdul Rahman Hassan, head of the marine environment and sanctuaries unit at the municipality, urged people to steer clear of the affected areas.

“People [should] refrain from using the area until we clear the contaminated waters. A team from the municipality will visit the spot on Sunday to assess the situation,” he said.

Dr Suresh Menon, a specialist in internal medicine at Jebel Ali Hospital, said that ignoring advice could have catastrophic consequences.

“It’s very dangerous to go near the water as it may contain toxic chemicals detrimental to people’s health,” he said.

“Apart from skin diseases, people may develop liver and kidney problems from the contaminated water.”

An official with the municipality’s drainage department told the newspaper that the problem had occurred after sewage was illegally dumped into a storm water drainage network connected to the sea.

Keith Mutch, general manager of Dubai Offshore Sailing Club, which has had to suspend its operations for the past two weeks, said that the area had been completely ruined by the sewage.

“It’s become like a big toilet, with black coloured water floating all around. A number of our members have developed skin rashes, eye and ear infections after coming into contact with the waters," he said.

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READERS' COMMENTS

Thanks for the warning...A BIT LATE!
Posted by Jack on Saturday 4 October 2008 at 22:59 UAE time


No signage...no warnings...offshore sailing Club closed for past 2 weeks - I have been swimming at the open beach everyday for the past 2 week. Two weeks and only after a 7days report to warn residents....Thank you!

To whom shop I send my medical bills, and where do I get a new liver?

sewage in sea
Posted by anil on Saturday 4 October 2008 at 20:38 UAE time

i am surprised the penalty is only dh50000/- this deserves jail and if expatriate and repeated deportment.
also poor planning on part of authority concerned as sewage facility is overloaded. could have looked at other temp solution than this disaster

Sewage, sewage everywhere and not a drop...
Posted by Jack on Saturday 4 October 2008 at 15:01 UAE time

You reap what you sow...Not unexpected and a result of uncontrolled development with a distinct lack of urban master planning...all for a fast buck...but nothing new ala Spain circa 1960/70's...

The tourism ministry must be spitting nails especially with the high season just around the corner...some more positive spin to come me thinks...

Time for letting people who really do know what they are doing to do their jobs...

Train Smash Mentality
Posted by Swimmer, Dubai, UAE on Saturday 4 October 2008 at 12:08 UAE time


We dont need to plan for problems we dont have! Until we have a problem we dont have a problem. The trainline is broken unil the train falls off it and doesnt need maintenace until its broken.

We dont need a sewerage system until we are waste deep in excrement and we have poisined all of the coastline around us to the point where our children will never know the sea.

We can then engage in a program to build a sustainable future hen we already had one.

Irony

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