Giosi Ferrandino suffers from "Arpac"

The sea, which attracts swimmers and tourists from all over these August days, in some places hides an invisible threat. The latest sampling conducted by ARPAC, the Campania Regional Agency for Environmental Protection, on August 5th recorded fecal bacteria levels above legal limits in three iconic summer locations in Campania: Punta Perrone, in the municipality of Casamicciola Terme on the island of Ischia; Marina di Vietri and Marina d'Albori, both on the Amalfi Coast; and the beach at Minori.

The tests revealed high concentrations of intestinal enterococci and Escherichia coli, a clear indication of fecal contamination. In Casamicciola, in the area from Monte Misericordia to the ceramics factory, the Punta Perrone sampling point recorded values of 364 for enterococci and 2005 for Escherichia coli, well above the permitted threshold.

As required by procedure, ARPAC has forwarded the data to the affected municipalities, which will now issue ordinances prohibiting bathing. Until further inspection, diving is prohibited northeast of Casamicciola, and swimming among the white pebbles and coves of Vietri and Minori is prohibited.

In the coming days, further sampling will be conducted to confirm compliance with the parameters. This is a practice we've seen in the past, which has often allowed bans to be quickly lifted, but it doesn't diminish the impact on the image of places that rely heavily on the sea for their tourist appeal.