About 700,000 cubic metres of rainwater could be harvested and recycled through the Government’s national flood relief project, according to Resources Minister George Pullicino.

The capacity of reservoirs will triple from 300,000 cubic metres as rainwater will pass through huge tunnels and culverts being built.

Mr Pullicino, who visited excavation works in Attard yesterday, said the project would also help replenish the water table.

A soak-away reservoir of about 10,000 cubic metres of water is being built in Gżira. It will collect the rainwater passing through Wied Għollieqa and from the storm-water tunnels.

Soak-away reservoirs are designed to allow water to percolate into aquifers, providing them with some much-needed replenishment. The water in the Gżira reservoir would eventually trickle down into the water table, Mr Pullicino explained.

The €56 million project involves the construction of 17km of underground tunnels, canals, bridges and repairing of culverts and other rainwater infrastructure. These will channel storm water away from flood-prone zones.

Bridges in Qormi will be replaced, two culverts will be built next to the Marsa golf course and race track and another four will be built in Aldo Moro Road.

Excavation works are well under way on the 11km underground tunnel from Attard to Ta’ Xbiex, having a diameter that varies between 3.6 and six metres.

The EU will be financing 85 per cent of the costs of the project that is designed to ease flooding in 12 localities: Balzan, Lija, Attard, Iklin, Birkirkara, Gżira, Msida, Żebbuġ, Qormi, Marsa, Żabbar and Marsascala.

Mr Pullicino said this was the largest project ever to reduce flooding and would help out residents.

He thanked the 70 workers engaged on the project and pointed out that the Government was fulfilling its promise. “This project is important and is creating job opportunities,” he said.