Ammonia in water is usually indicative of urine or faeces being present. Photo: Darrin Zammit Lupi

The police are investigating the presence of high levels of ammonia in a drinking water dispenser at the law courts, the Times of Malta has learnt.

Ammonia in water is usually indicative of the presence of urine or faeces, according to experts.

A spokeswoman for the Environmental Health Directorate confirmed when contacted that its inspectors were called in to investigate reports that a foul smell was emanating from workers’ coffee and, subsequently, from the water dispenser itself.

Samples were taken from an open 19-litre water bottle used by the court marshals and water in a jug in the marshals’ quarters. These were found to contain a high level of ammonia. The director general of the law courts was informed about the case.

Sources said he called in the inspectors again because the bottled water was the same supplied to various other departments within the law courts, including the offices of members of the judiciary. The inspectors took several other samples, but none were found to be contaminated.

A foul smell was emanating from workers’ coffee and,subsequently, from the water dispenser itself

The samples from the marshals’ quarters were again found to be contaminated.

Investigations showed that five employees drank this water before the high levels of ammonia were discovered. They have asked the court authorities to cover the costs of health check-ups.

Water experts told the Times of Malta that ammonia usually enters water from fertiliser runoff and is also commonly found in household cleaners.

Ammonia triggers asthma attacks in some people and is linked to a broader range of health problems at high levels of exposure.

Sources said that rather than an internal investigation, the court management opted to call in the police to investigate how the drinking water in the court marshals’ quarters became contaminated.

The director general of the law courts, as well as the five employees who drank the contaminated water all filed police reports on the matter, which is now being investigated by the Valletta police.

A spokeswoman for the Environmental Health Directorate confirmed when she was contacted that ammonium was “only” found to be present in samples taken from a jug and an open 19-litre water container.

“Samples taken at the law courts from sealed water containers were found to comply with the mineral water regulations,” she said.