Updated | Labour will address storm water problem – Charles Buhagiar

Adds Ministry for Resources and Rural Affairs at 7:02pm

The government is greatly irresponsible for failing to implement a strategy to control flooding and store storm water, Labour MP Charles Buhagiar said.

"Only in recent weeks did the government wake up from its slumber and address the problem," Buhagiar said. This week, Malta was hit by torrential storms and vast areas all over the islands suffered damages from flooding. In the aftermath, resources minister George Pullicino said that around 9,000 tonnes of waste material was collected form eight valleys and four water reservoirs this summer.

Speaking during a press conference on Friday morning, the MP said the government has failed to implement the EU funded project announced in the 2008 Budget, in which government said it will spend €70 million on a flood relief project.

"However, not only did this project never happen, but in 2010 the government said it had changed plans and the project will cost around €43 million," Buhagiar said, adding that the government risks missing out on the EU funds if the project is not completed by 2014.

Buhagiar, an architect by profession and a former Minister for Public Works and Construction, said the short-lived 1996 Labour administration had recognised the importance of the issue and had devised a master plan, which identified a series of problems that had to be tackled.

"Unfortunately the Nationalist government has abondoned the plan and has only done bits and pieces, which has not resolved the existing problems," the Labour MP said. Buhagiar also noted that no new reservoir has been constructed by successive Nationalist administrations.

He explained that although the current administration is building a reservoir in Gzira with a capacity of 10,000 square metres, this was not enough to store the "precious" water resources and mitigate the flooding problems.

Buhagiar said that "it is useless to only clean the upstream parts of valleys if the whole valley is not cleared up." The MP added that valleys across the islands have a potential storage capacity of 120,000 cubic metres, but this could only be achieved if all valleys are cleared and maintained.

"Valleys need to be cleaned at the end of every rain season because the rain drags a lot of debris which ends up blocking and occupying valleys and reservoirs," the MP said, adding that if the water is not lost it will also help replenish the aquifers.

Another issue, which needs to be tackled, is the lack of implementation of planning regulations, Buhagiar added. He explained that all buildings should have a well or reservoir to store water, however Buhagiar said that this is not being enforced and water collected on rooftops is ending up in the sewage system damaging the system itself and the roads.

The resources and rural affairs ministry accused Buhagiar of being "detached from reality and only spoke out to fain political mileage."

The ministry said the Buhagiar ignored the fact that the ministry set up a unit to clean and maintain valleys and reservoirs and added that the Labour MP "disrespected the workers of the unit who worked hard throughout the summer months."

George Pullicino's ministry issued a list of 19 valleys and 12 reservoirs which have been cleaned by the purposely set up unit during the last few years. It also pointed out that the valleys and reservoirs are cleaned up more than once during the year.

On the flood relief project, the ministry said Buhagiar is also not aware of the project's approval by Mepa in 2011 and noted that 85% of the project will be funded by the EU. The EU will fork out €56 million, the ministry said.

Minister Pullicino said the project is in the process of receiving the financial go ahead from the EU.

"The Minister (George Pullicino) is surprised that the Hon Charles Buhagiar does not know how EU funding works," the statement said.