The Msida Valley Road reservoir is a sanitary hazard and an accident waiting to happen, according to the local council.

The council claimed thatit had no funds to clean upthe reservoir but had been appealing to the Resources Ministry to take care of it for the past two years, with no success.

“Our pleas are falling on deaf ears. Our correspondence is merely acknowledged and nothing ever gets done,” Msida mayor Clifton Grima said.

He said there was so much algae on the stagnant water that it could easily be mistaken for solid ground.

“There is a school nearby, children are constantly playing in this area and they can easily mistake it for turf. It’s an accident waiting to happen.”

The reservoir was recently featured in an article in The Times when residents complained it had become a breeding ground for Asian Tiger mosquitoes. This problem is still rife, with one local saying he has to spray Pif Paf (household insect spray) all over his legs to keep the mosquitoes at bay.

“The Resources Ministry needs to shoulder the responsibility. All we are asking for is a regular upkeep of the reservoir.”