The government is making preparation for a €56 million National Flood Relief Project, the Finance Minister is due to announce in the Budget speech today – just hours after several localities suffered severe rainwater flooding.

The minister did not give much details, but said that Mepa has has already issued three permit and an Environment impact Assessment is under way. Work in four localities is expected to start next year.

He said that over the coming year, the government will continue with its project to install photovoltaic panels on 67 thousand square meters of public roofs.

During next year it will also reopen the aid scheme for the purchase of solar water heaters to complement the existing scheme. It will give a give a subsidy up to a maximum of €400 euro on the price of solar heaters for around 2,000 families.

€1 mill will be spent on the the continuation of environmental and other studies on the feasibility of wind farms on land and at sea according to the application that the Government has lodged with Mepa.

Work will also continue on the €60 million sewage plant project in Ta’ Barkat and the pumping station in Għarb, which will be completed in the coming months. As a result, all sewage would be treated.