Overview
- The municipality closed the Bumbište and Centinera beaches after a construction-related pipe break allowed untreated wastewater into the Adriatic, the town said Tuesday.
- Red warning flags and a precautionary bathing ban were imposed to protect swimmers while ongoing samples are analysed by the Institute of Public Health of Istria.
- Medulin says the water operator Vodovod Pula-Labin is responsible for the outfall and the municipality has filed a criminal complaint alleging an environmental offence.
- Contractor and supervisory authorities reached a technical solution and repair work to stop the outflow has started, but officials say the beaches will not reopen until the leak is fixed and follow-up tests show consistently safe results.
- Only the two named beaches are affected and other local beaches remain open, though the closures highlight recurring seasonal sewage and wastewater challenges that can quickly change coastal water quality and hit summer tourism.