Residents of the southern Athens suburbs of Moschato and Neo Faliron voiced their opposition this weekend to reported plans of the Environment and Public Works Ministry to divert more waste water into the Kifissos River.

The ministry is reportedly considering diverting a sewage pipe, the Ilissos River and a stream toward the already heavily polluted Kifissos. The river runs through Moschato and Neo Faliron before emptying into the Saronic Gulf and residents are concerned about the pollution and unpleasant smells to which they could be exposed.

“The pollution of the Kifissos is already unbearable, and the ministry is attempting to further burden the river with more waste,” Apostolos Aloniatis of the Kifi-SOS residents’ movement told Sunday’s Kathi-merini.

Kathimerini revealed earlier this year that factories along the river are dumping waste into the water, which has become toxic. It has urged Environment Minister Giorgos Souflias to pledge to clean up the river and stop illegal dumping.