Sewage overflows as Italian consortium abandons treatment plant

The North Sewage Treatment Plant, known as Ic-Cumnija, has not  functioned to full capacity in the past days due to the mismanagement and confusion caused following Italian Consortium IBI's departure on 1 October.

The Italian company's contract came to an end last month, as stipulated by the fifth Italian-Maltese protocol which financed the plant.

Sources who spoke to Sunday newspaper ILLUM said the Italians left no hand over to the Maltese employees.

As a result, due to "lack of expertise and shortage of workers, substantial parts of the sewage treatment plant could not function."

Consequently, there was some untreated sewage that overflowed in the nearby sea.

A spokesperson for the Water Services Corporation confirmed the overflowing, but said that these were the result of tests on new machines.

He also said that the shortage of staff was being addressed, but rebuffed claims that the WSC was unable to manage the treatment plant without the Italian consortium.

Read more in today's issue of ILLUM