A constant year-long trickle of water from a field at Rinella Bay, in Kalkara, which created a carpet of green moss on the pavement, stems from “a large rainwater reservoir”, according to the Water Services Corporation.

After being alerted about the situation by people who frequent the area, The Times last week witnessed a constant flow of water trickling down the valley side, onto the road and ending in the sea. The situation has remained unchanged.

People suspected the water, which has been flowing for more than a year with no sign of letting up in the dry summer months, was coming from a leaking mains pipe. However, when contacted, a WSC spokesman said the source was a large rainwater reservoir used by a nearby farm.

“We informed the local council about it and asked for their assistance to inform the farmer as we couldn’t trace him,” the spokesman said.

Kalkara mayor Michael Cohen said yesterday the land in question belonged to the Cottonera Waterfront Group and had been given to them by the government to build a boat yard.

The project never materialised and the person responsible for the farm was allowed to continue using it.

He said the problem originated from a large damaged reservoir that was built by the British.

“The person responsible for the farm had told me the water in the reservoir had to go down below a certain level for any repairs to be made and he was reluctant to fork out the expense,” Mr Cohen said, insisting the council did not have the authority to enter into the private land.Mr Cohen confirmed that the WSC had on two previous occasions tested the runoff water to ascertain it was not sewage or tap water.

The WSC will shortly take another water sample to confirm there is no new source of leaking mains water as is normal practice when faced with long-standing problems.

However, with the summer months just starting, people are worried that a large pool of water almost one foot deep that has formed in the field just off the road could become a breeding ground for mosquitoes.