Major capital investment in drainage system

The Malta Environment and Planning Authority granted an outline development permission on November 29 for the Gozo Sewage Treatment Plan.

Dr Francis Zammit Dimech, Minister for Resources and Infrastructure, told The Sunday Times that the sewage treatment plant will be located at Mgarr ix-Xini, limits of Ghajnsielem. This will treat all the sewage generated on Gozo and will provide second class water for the irrigation of about 90 hectares of agricultural land in the vicinity of the plant.

The untreated discharge of an average of 6,500 cubic metres of sewage into the sea through an outfall of Ras il-Hobz, will be discontinued once the sewage treatment plant is in operation.

The project, which will be tendered out next year to be completed by 2005, is estimated to cost around Lm3.2 million, a substantial part of which will come from pre-accession funds from the EU.

Dr Zammit Dimech said that the infrastructure will consist of a sewage treatment plant to treat an average of 6,500 cubic metres of sewage per day, an intake and a second class pumping station, two pressure rising mains, access roads to the plant and stations, and a treated effluent reservoir with a capacity of 6,500 cubic metres.

Another sewage project is planned. Documents are being prepared to undertake a project to strengthen the sewage system in the vicinity of Nadur, and to eventually eliminate the sewage outfall at San Blas.

The first phase will consist of the laying of 1.6 km of mains, which will be completed by the end of next year. The second phase entails the building of a new pumping station which will be completed during the summer months of next year. This project is estimated to cost around Lm240,000.

Another project is in hand to strengthen the drainage system in the vicinity of Gharb, and would eventually eliminate the sewage outfall in Wied il-Mielah. This project is planned for completion in 2004.