The Court of Appeal yesterday confirmed a judgment of the Gozo courts in which the Water Services Corporation was ordered to pay almost €6,880 to residents of Nadur.

John and Jane Portelli filed an action against the WSC in the Magistrates' Court of Gozo. They claimed that they had suffered damages to their house in Nadur after sewage from the WSC's mains seeped inside.

The court had established that the WSC was responsible for the damages that Mr and Mrs Portelli had suffered.

It resulted that the sewage system had overflowed following prolonged rainfall and the sewage had entered the Portellis' home. The court had ordered the WSC to pay Mr and Mrs Portelli €6,880 in damages.

The WSC appealed to the Court of Appeal presided over by Mr Justice Philip Sciberras.

On appeal, the court ruled that even publicly-owned entities and the government had to make good any damages they caused.

Mr Justice Sciberras said the WSC was pleading that it was not responsible for the sewage overflow as this had been caused by heavy rainfall.

The court heard that there were some manholes but these had been blocked. As a result, the sewage had overflowed into the Portellis' home. The WSC, the court ruled, was responsible to ensure that works were carried out properly.

Mr Justice Sciberras, therefore, found in favour of Mr and Mrs Portelli and dismissed the WSC's appeal.

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