Work has picked up in Gzira on a reservoir of 10,000 cubic metres of water which will hold rainwater run-off from Wied Għollieqa.

Resources Minister George Pullicino visited the site near the national pool this morning and explained that it is part of the major flood relief project which also involves a system of galleries to channel rainwater away from flood-prone areas.

He said the new reservoir will be a soak-away facility which will not actually store rainwater but allow it to percolate down to recharge the water table. The reservoir, set to be completed by March, will be linked to the Attard-Ta' Xbiex gallery. The gallery itself will hold water until it can be pumped into the reservoir.

The top of the reservoir may be used for parking.

In all, the flood relief project will be able to hold and recycle up to 700,000 cubic metres of rainwater every year compared to the storage capacity of 300,000 square metres of current reservoirs.

The boring of the 11km gallery started from the Attard end some weeks ago. The gallery will have a diameter which varies between 3.3 metres and six metres.

There will also be a 2.2km gallery in Zebbug and a 3.2km gallery from Żabbar to Marsascala.

The project costs €57m, which is being funded up to 85% the EU's cohesion fund. The project also includes a number of culverts and new bridges in Qormi .