Storm water project making a difference

Flooding in the Marsa area is already less acute even if the Lm700,000 storm-water project has still not been completed, Resources and Infrastructure Minister Ninu Zammit said yesterday while on a visit to the works.

Work on the project started in 2003 with the construction of a 1,200-metre canal from Qormi to Marsa. A 12-metre wide bridge in Triq L-Iljun behind the Lowenbrau factory has also been built.

In the meantime, work is underway on the construction of a canal from Aldo Moro Street in Marsa to Jetties Wharf. Two bridges are being constructed to serve as access to the Marsa Sports Club.

Designs for the storm water channel in Marsa were revised after it was established that workers had stumbled upon a historical discovery dating back to Roman times.

Mr Zammit said that no less than 20,000 cubic metres of material would have to be excavated to install the pre-cast units near the embankments.

While the work is being carried out, valleys around Malta are being cleaned and maintained to facilitate the flow of water towards the canal, eventually leading to the Menqa.

Malta had acquired €1 million in funding from the EU to help with the prevention of floods.