A new micro waste treatment plant that can process 45 cubic meters of sewage a day has been launched by the Water Services Corporation.

A 20-foot sewage treatment container was built in collaboration with German company ItN Nanovation and the first plant is expected to be up and running in Bidnija by the end of the year, WSC chief executive Mark Muscat said.

He said that this form of waste treatment was ideal for hotels or small, remote areas. In such areas, sewage was currently collected in a cesspit that had to be emptied daily.

The new technology would allow sewage to be filtered through the container that would separate the sludge from the water. The sludge would then he collected, once every two months, and treated.

The water could be used for irrigation and with further filtering would also be suitable for drinking.

Mr Muscat said the corporation and the German company were negotiating to build the product for export.

It was estimated that a 20-foot container would sell for about €100,000.