THE NEW WATER SOUTH PROJECT PROGRESSING AS PLANNED
Luqa, 18/12/2023 – It has been recently brought to the attention of the Water Services Corporation, that Mr. Peter Agius has taken to social media to spread uninformed commentary with regard to the Corporation’s operations.
We urge anyone, whoever they may be, to seek the truth before spreading disinformation on the substantial work that WSC has been undertaking.
The WSC categorically denies the baseless allegations of funds misappropriation made by the aspiring MEP candidate. The project to improve water distribution in the South of Malta is ongoing and works are underway, as is clearly visible close to the location where Mr Agius was filming his comments.
In 2017, the Sant Antnin wastewater treatment plant and adjoining reclaimed water production facility were temporarily taken out of service, being earmarked to undergo a retrofit to bolster the wastewater treatment capacity of the Southern catchment. This intervention was timed in a way, knowing full well the impending start-up of a new reclaimed high-grade reclaimed water (New Water) production facility at Ta’ Barkat commissioned in October 2018.
Thanks to the availability of EU funding, the WSC today supplies two million litres per day of Class A treated effluent to the same area supplied formerly by Sant’Antnin. This production figure will be expanded to circa five million litres per day by 2024 and 11 million litres per day by 2026.
This is in line with a significant ongoing and planned expansion of the distribution network, which is still under construction.
Contrary to what is inferred in the claims, this water (New Water) is not distributed through the new network. The reason is simple: this is a work in progress, part of a massive and intricate project encompassing production, storage, and distribution. In the interim, New Water is being channelled through the existing open water channel system before we migrate to the full-fledged setup realised through EU EAFRD Funds
In the meantime, WSC has rehabilitated six reservoirs in the area whilst the installation of a New Water network is underway. This phase involves extensive trenching and micro tunnelling, reflecting WSC’s commitment to long-term solutions over quick sporadic and emergency fixes.
The current setup of open channels was prone to misuse, with individuals consuming far more than their allocated share. Once fully operational, the 300 water dispensers operated by a new system will ensure adequate distribution and incorporate smart technology, including fibre optic connectivity, to optimise water resource management.
