A network of underground water tunnels will be completed by July 2014, solving the island’s perennial flooding problem, according to Resources Minister George Pullicino.

“This is the biggest infrastructural project this country has seen in a while,” Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi said as he visited the works in Attard accompanied by Mr Pullicino.

Dr Gonzi said this would go a long way to solving the problem of major flooding in Malta, which had often led to “scenes of terror”, loss of property and sometimes also deaths.

All studies had shown this was the only way to solve the problem, he added.

The experts had also indicated the best routes for the three tunnels which would span the most problematic flooding areas in Malta.

Dr Gonzi said a secondary benefit of the project would be that a large amount of water would be stored instead of just being thrown into the sea.

Mr Pullicino said Malta would go from being able to store around 200,000 cubic metres of water to almost one million, with the addition of around 700,000 cubic metres thanks to this project.

The water would be stored to percolate slowly back into the ground and recharge the water table.

The 17-kilometre project would cost €56 million but was being co-financed with the EU. It had also created 70 jobs, Dr Gonzi said, stressing the great importance of capital projects.

Birkirkara, Msida, Balzan, Attard, Iklin, Gżira, Żabbar, Marsascala, Żebbuġ, Qormi and Marsa are the towns and villages that stand to benefit most from the project.