To restore Għajn tal-Ħasselin, council seeks out historic water source

Restoration works for Msida’s Għajn tal-Ħasselin will be complemented by an attempt to identify the source of water that is constantly accumulating on the shallow rock-hewn basin, presently overgrown with vegetation and debris that is littering the waters despite the local council’s regulator cleansing efforts.

According to a restoration statement by the Public Works Department, the identification of the source of water should address the issue prior to emptying the basin and cleaning the bottom.

The aim of the restoration is to address the various issues contributing to the deterioration of the fabric of the landmark structure, to structurally consolidate it and maintain a working rain-water management system.

The council had been complaining about this problem since at least 2012 when Clifton Grima, then serving as the locality’s mayor, referred to the problem of overflowing wastewater resulting in an infestation of mosquitoes and other parasites in the historical landmark.

The Għajn tal-Ħasselin originated from the fawwara, or spring, which was located in the inner reaches of the Msida creek, and is mentioned in Gian Frangisk Abela’s 1647 Malta Illustrata. The structure was probably originally hewn for the treatment of cotton and hemp, with the rock-cut basin being fed by the natural spring. This evolved into a community wash house in later years.

The arched construction covering the spring basin is attributed to the patronage of Fra Wolfgang Philip Guttenberg (1647-1733) and was constructed during the first half of the eighteenth century. Elderly residents of the area recall using the basin for swimming during their childhood in the cool sheltered on hot summer days.

Various alterations were made throughout the structure’s history as the land around it was developed into a busy thoroughfare. The natural canal which linked the basin to the sea was filled up after World War II with war debris up to the foot of Rue D’Argens. Troughs used for the washing of laundry are no longer visible, and part of the structure was buried under the surrounding pavement and higher street levels.

The structure has been subjected to ad hoc repairs in which stonework of mismatched proportions were inserted instead of weathered stone. The restoration foresees the cleaning of the existing structure with the aim of eliminating as much as possible any surface encrustations which are causing deterioration to the underlying stone fabric.