Repairs on Gozo sewage plant to commence in coming days

The Water Services Corporation (WSC) has announced that repairs on the Gozo sewage plant outfall will commence in the coming days.

The repairs include an improved setup at the plant, ensuring optimal environmental performance, and a "state of the art recently patented difusser," the corporation said. The works will cost WSC around half a million Euro.

"The outfall has lost its last 35 metres due to past illegal discharges limiting its discharge point from around 90 metres to around 40 metres," the WSC said in a statement on Monday. 

Repair works will commence on 21 August at Boiler Wharf where works will be conducted on the main barge. Work on the outfall will start on 24 August and is likely to take 10 days to complete.

"The operation will be undertaken by 18 highly skilled workers including a team of 10 foreign divers. Equipment will involve one motorised barge, an unmotorised flat barge and a support tugboat. A saturation system to ensure the safety of the divers will be mounted. This includes a bell-like structure that will allow divers to surface from a depth of around 80 meters to enter a decompression chamber," the WSC said.

It added that three container houses, two generator units, an 18-ton hyperbaric chamber and other diving equipment will be loaded onto the barge.

The hyperbaric unit will be the residence of two deep-sea divers for five days, providing them with necessary amenities and provisions. 

"The Corporation will be overcoming another longstanding challenge that will continue to improve the services it offers," WSC CEO Richard Bilocca said.