Mayors pin hopes on 2014 for flood relief project’s completion

Works for the National Flood Relief Project - a €52 million network of tunnels and canals to drain storm water - is nearing completion, five mayors who spoke to MaltaToday said.

It's the great white hope for countless localities in Malta: the feeling of optimism among the mayors was that the project will go a long way in solving the flash flooding in the worst-hit areas.

Using a network of underground tunnels, canals and bridges, the project should provide a better storm water drainage infrastructure and minimise the destructive effects of storms. By 2015, it should provide better preparedness for the most vulnerable areas of the island.

The top priority areas, where the majority of damages occur during storms in Malta, are Msida, Birkirkara, Balzan, Gzira, Qormi, Marsa, Zebbug, Marsaskala and Zabbar.

Works in Marsaskala are due to be completed by August 2014, mayor Mario Calleja told MaltaToday. AT €6 million, the Zabbar-Marsaskala project will see the construction of a tunnel of more than three kilometres in length that will drain some 40 cubic metres of rainwater, per second.

It was also conserve to 63,000 cubic metres of water annually, and lead to outfall at Ghar id-Duhhan in the limits of Marsascala, to the north of Zonqor Point.

"It's moving forward at a very steady pace," Quinton Scerri, the mayor of the neighbouring village of Zabbar, said. "Workers here are digging around the clock... close to 400m has already been dug in the actual tunnel, which is expected to be 3.3km long. The tunnel has been extended close to the Żabbar school to ensure a higher rate of catchment in high flood areas at the centre of Żabbar."

With water outlets in Marsaskala and water catchment units along the streets of Żabbar expected to be built next year, Scerri says the project should be ready by the fourth quarter of 2014.

"Once ready, the project should ease the flooding problem faced by Zabbar residents by some 85%... the council is keeping an eye on the work to ensure that the least inconvenience possible is caused to the residents of the surrounding area," he said.

Qormi is another village that suffers heavily during stormy weather, but mayor Rosianne Cutajar also reports that works are progressing well.

Works currently ongoing are the lowering and leveling of the canal bed at Triq il-Wied, the lowering of Enemalta cables and construction of two culverts by the Marsa golf course, the construction of the culverts at Aldo Moro and construction works of sewage pipes. The installation of a culvert and the leveling and asphalting of streets leading to Mithna Bridge are also scheduled to start very soon, for completion by the end of 2013.

"But even proposed deadlines for the works are subject to any possible weather-related interruptions," Cutajar cautioned. "In 2014, construction works on culverts at Triq il-Wied will begin in January and should be completed by June. Culverts in the Aldo Moro road are also planned for that time and the construction of an opening, near the skewed arch under Triq San Bastjan, is also planned for 2014. This should around three months to complete.

"The expected end-date of the project is July 2014 but this is subject to unexpected interferences of extreme weather conditions and possible delays in the Aldo Moro project because of works carried out by the Water Services Corporation," Cutajar said.

Works at Correa, Dimech and Mithna roads were all completed or close to completion, while works on the Aldo Moro road and at the golf course are still ongoing.

Both Msida - which is the end-point of the valley flooding and the town that arguably suffers the most during storms in Malta - and Gzira, will only see minor works since water will be deviated prior to reaching Msida.

"The tunnel that will aid the flooding situation in Gzira is on target," Gzira mayor Roberto Cristiano said. "The last update we had on the tunnel was that it was on target in terms of the project timeline," he said, also pointing to 2014 as completion date.

One area where the water will be deviated en route to Msida, will be Balzan. John Zammit Montebello, the mayor of the locality, said that excavation works in the area were ongoing on various fronts. "On the surface, several of the gratings have been completed especially in the Balzan, Attard, Birkirkara area.  These are currently blocked off until the tunnel is complete," he said.

Zammit Montebello said that works should be completed by the end of 2014. "Excavation works will continue through the first part of the year and finishing works will follow straight after.  The road works will continue through to next year," he said.