€130 million water project is a sign of things to come

By Joe Mizzi

Joe Mizzi is Minister for Energy and Water Management

Last week in the sister island of Gozo, we celebrated long months of hard work with an excellent achievement, with the Water Services Corporation’s showcase EU-funded water project having been officially approved.

The project is a multi-faceted €130 million upgrading exercise that will improve water quality all over the Maltese Islands. This project was not only fast tracked for approval by EU institutions, but it is also being regarded as a blueprint in the water sector.

Let us not forget where we started.

I still remember one of the first meetings where I insisted with the management of the Corporation that the project should be given top priority.

We asked for a project based on the highest environmental standards, improving the service and product delivered to the public reaching better energy efficiency and safeguarding the water table.

I must admit that I am now delighted that my direction was followed to the word.

We also need to recall the tremendous amount of project preparation work.

This included projections up to 2050, detailed cost benefit analysis, and extensive environmental studies.

Officers within the Water Services Corporation worked relentlessly towards the completion of these complex studies.

I would like to thank them for this work and also thank Jaspers – the EU Commission’s consultants for their great input.

I’ve personally met Jaspers on a number of times and I fully acknowledge that their contribution brought impressive added value to the project.

The €11million Hondoq Reverse Osmosis plant, which will deliver 9,000 cubic meters of high quality water a day to Gozo, has already had its six sea-water-intake 100metre deep wells executed, and work is now underway on the sub seabed outfall.

The RO machinery is being produced and renovation works on the building will start within days in May.  

The €33million Pembroke/Ta’ Qali tunnel, which will improve efficiency and water quality in Malta, is also progressing with multiple drilling machines working on different sections of the tunnel.

The €11million potable water extension in the outskirts of Qrendi and Siggiewi is at an advanced stage and within a few months entire sections of this project will start being put on line.

Sewage improvements are being implemented with works having this month started on 1.2metre diameter pipe upgrades in the central area of Malta and horizontal direction drilling is progressing in the Dingli Rabat area.

We are also currently reconstructing a number of reservoirs in the South of Malta and implementing around €30million worth of trenching to extend the network in Gozo, as well as in the northern and southern Malta.

In short, we are implementing improvements through a project that will exceed the €130 million mark and most likely approach the €150 million mark if more funds are secured.

Many see the results of their hard work on this project as an impressive achievement. But there is more to it.

Whilst all this work was being carried out, this team of people was also responsible for all water and wastewater operations.

I am grateful for the results being attained and I am determined – as is my team – to keep working to deliver even higher standards.