[WATCH] Wied il-Ghasel to undergo €2.2 million rehabilitation

One of Malta's largest valleys, Wied il-Ghasel, will go through a major renovation that will cost government €2.2 million.

Wied il-Ghasel threads through Mosta, Burmarrad and Rabat.

Parliamentary Secretary for EU Funds Aaron Farrugia said that €1.8 million of the amount invested in this project are EU funds.

The renovation project, titled RainWiin Project, will consist of studies of infrastructure in the valley, new dams and soakaways and the planting of 300 indigineous trees.

Environment Minister Jose Herrera and Farrugia were addressing a press conference at Wied il-Ghasel.

"With the way the population is growing and the state these valleys are in, water scarcity can become a problem," he said. "Over half of water consumed comes from aquifers. If the veins, and Wied il-Ghasel is a major one, will not be rehabilitated and are used as dumping grounds, our water is at risk."

Herrera said that water preserved in reservoirs as during the reign of the Knights of St John is a thing of the past, so we rely entirely on aquifers and Reverse Osmosis.

He added that a taskforce his ministry employed, Ambjent Malta, will oversee the project in collaboration with Infrastructure Malta. This will include the removal of alien species, the planting of 300 indigineous trees and plant species and the restructuring and building of new dams.

Ambjent Malta's Scientific Officer Alexander Borg Galea said that new dams will hope to increase the amount of water collected to 45,000 cubic metres.

The project will also monitor the climate change impact and how much water actually meanders through the massive valley.

Farrugia said that Malta was investing over €100 million in EU funds in total for water security, water quality and sustainable management.

He explained that the European Commission proposals include five policy objectives for the next EU budget, focusing on a greener, low-carbon Europe by promoting clean and fair energy transition, the circular economy, and climate adaptation amongst others.

Herrera said that RainWiin is one of many local projects aimed at preserving water.