News 08/09/2002

Labour Party want to close Wied Ghammieq sewage outflow

By Marika Azzopardi

"Here is where 80% of all the drainage of Malta is collected and poured out to sea. The MLP plans to exclude all drainage outflow from this area by enlarging the St Anthony Recycling Plant." This was voiced yesterday by Joe Mizzi, MLP’s chief spokesperson for environmental policies and planning, as he spoke at the Sewage Plant at Kalkara. In a MLP document entitled ‘Ambjent b’sahhtu ghal sahhitna’ the party has outlined various proposals towards reducing sea pollution.

Mr Mizzi explained how, during Labour’s last span in government, both parties, together with various NGO’s and the Church, had agreed on the principle of utilising the plant to treat wastewater.

"Apart from having to bear such an enormous amount of sewage, things get worse when the plant is damaged. Moreover all sort of material is shoved into the drainage system, with no controls or enforcement on the part of authorities. It is the citizens’ right to be protected from abuses and so pollution should be kept in check. Tests should be carried out as regards what actually goes through this plant into the sea. These tests should be rigorous and ongoing. People should be educated." But he lamented that nothing is done by the present Government and that this would change once the MLP is in government.

Referring to the Sant Antnin Recycling Plant, he pointed out that this was supposed to create second class water and was designed with plans for future growth, to cater for increase of recycling. "However nothing was ever done in this direction, and although it has been extended, the plant is far from fulfilling its capabilities." Mr Mizzi said that people should be sure that the second class water is of truly second class quality, because several abuses occur. "Many people actually go to have this water pumped from the mains into agricultural land when the water has not even been processed."

As a case in point, ex-MLP candidate Salvu Sant, who was present, commented on the side effects suffered by turf, through bad quality water. "The Hibs’ football ground at Kordin is covered in turf. At one point the turf was being watered with second class water obtained from the St Anthony plant. However, the quality of this water was so bad that the turf withered away."

Mr Mizzi slammed the Government and MEPA for the manner in which he had to obtain a copy of the State of the Environment Report, which he had requested. "I made my request through parliament, but the Government said I should request it from MEPA and they said they need authorisation from Government to release it to me."

Mr Tony Valvo, Xghajra’s Mayor, was also present and explained how the plant at Kalkara was effecting his village and the sea along its shores. "The prevailing wind here is the North Westerly wind which flows towards Xghajra. From here drainage is pumped out to a distance of 500 metres at a slant. Then diffusers spread out the material further on. But it all depends on the currents and the wind and whenever there is a Southerly wind, the drainage flows right back in to Kalkara Creek, on to the Grand Harbour, Marsamxett and Sliema. This is proven through satellite pictures taken of the area and its seas."

Mr Valvo noted that the drainage which passes through the system includes raw sewage, but worse still it includes waste from factories. He cited a study made by Professor Axiaq, Head of the Biology Department at Tal-Qroqq University, which study shows that the water contains high levels of dangerous ingredients such as lead and mercury. "The sea bed is scorched throughout. Moreover, few people seem to realise that even waste from farms is dumped in with sewage. Whilst in the past farm waste was used as manure or placed in specially designed deposits, today a lot is dumped illegally through the drainage system, increasing the final output into the sea."

The 80% of drainage material equals 20 million tons of raw sewage, which depends on an old-fashioned pumping system to be released out to sea. The system was actually created by the Knights of St John who were stationed in the Cottonera and they designed it so that the flow of sewage would follow the land’s natural downward slant towards the sea. Today the system functions thanks to an electrically powered pump. This however, has problems of its own.

"When there are power cuts, the pump stops. So the level of sewage overflows through purposely constructed overflow holes. The trouble is that these holes spew the sewage out onto the surrounding rocks."

During the pre-1996 period, the government of the day had signed the Barcelona Agreement which still has to be ratified. However up to 1999 there had been plans for the creation of three plants, one in Gozo, one in the North and another in the South of Malta. The projects were to be financed by the Investment Finance Bank but one of the conditions was that each citizen would have to contribute through a drainage tax of approximately Lm8 annually. To date this tax has not been introduced and so the financing strategy was never implemented.