This project is being done in collaboration between Heritage Malta and the Water Services Corporation
Heritage Malta has been entrusted by the Water Services Corporation to digitise a collection of more than 15,000 historic plans for local water services.
These large-format plans, dating back over a hundred years, map the pipe systems, water pumping stations, boundaries, and public works and planning across Malta and Gozo.
Managed by Heritage Malta’s Technology and Experience Development Unit, the completed project will provide the Water Services Corporation with digital access to information that is vital to the corporation’s operations, enable faster searches and instant access to archives, and minimise damage to the original plans, which are quite fragile.
An update about the project’s progress was provided by Anthony Cassar, Head of the Technology and Experience Development Unit, during a visit to the unit by Minister for the National Heritage, the Arts, and Local Government, Owen Bonnici and by Minister for the Environment, Energy, and Enterprise, Miriam Dalli. Also present were the Chief Executive Officers of Heritage Malta and the Water Services Corporation, Noel Zammit and Karl Cilia, and the Chairperson of Heritage Malta, Mario Cutajar.
Minister Owen Bonnici explained that the scanning of the plans was only possible thanks to the large-format, high-resolution archiving scanner available at Heritage Malta. Besides scanning the plans themselves, the project also entails scanning the pencil annotations on the plans. “These annotations are of great importance as they often bear crucial information and comments that help planners and researchers better interpret the plans,” Minister Bonnici said.
Minister Miriam Dalli emphasised that this project is one of great importance not only for the Water Services Corporation but also for the country, whereby 15,000 architectural plans from the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century about the history of water in our country will be published.
“We are giving the general public access to an integral part of the history of the water sector in Malta, especially students and academics, to use this information as part of their research”, said Minister Dalli.
Heritage Malta’s Chief Executive Officer, Noel Zammit, spoke of the great benefits that historical artefacts can reap using the latest technology. He said that as the agency responsible for the preservation of cultural heritage and as the national aggregator for national cultural heritage data, Heritage Malta is continuously investing in digitisation to ensure it is equipped with the necessary resources to digitise as much cultural heritage as possible.
The Water Services Corporation’s Chief Executive Officer, Karl Cilia, said, “The Corporation’s diverse collection has immense value and historical significance and includes architectural drawings, plans, and numerous ancient documents uncovered during our research for the ‘8000 Years of Water’ publication. The digitisation of these artefacts transcends mere preservation; it embodies our dedication to honouring our architectural and water heritage, ensuring its accessibility and inspiration for future generations.”
Mal-15,000 pjanta storika tas-servizzi tal-ilma qed jiġu diġitizzati
Dan il-proġett qed isir b’kollaborazzjoni bejn Heritage Malta u l-Korporazzjoni għas-Servizzi tal-Ilma
Permezz ta’ kollaborazzjoni bejn il-Korporazzjoni għas-Servizzi tal-Ilma u Heritage Malta, qed tiġi diġitizzata kollezzjoni ta’ aktar minn 15,000 pjanta storika tas-servizzi tal-ilma lokali.
Dawn il-pjanti, li jmorru lura aktar minn seklu, juru s-sistemi tal-kanen, stazzjonijiet tal-ippumpjar tal-ilma, kif ukoll xogħlijiet pubbliċi u ppjanar f’Malta u f’Għawdex.
Il-proġett qed jitwettaq mit-Taqsima tat-Teknoloġija u l-Iżvilupp tal-Esperjenza fi ħdan Heritage Malta. Meta l-proġett jitlesta, il-Korporazzjoni għas-Servizzi tal-Ilma se jkollha aċċess diġitali għall-informazzjoni, li hija kruċjali għall-operat tagħha. Barra minn hekk, se tiżdied il-ħeffa tar-riċerka b’aċċess fil-pront għall-arkivji, filwaqt li tonqos il-possibbiltà li ssir ħsara lill-pjanti oriġinali, li huma pjuttost fraġli.
Waqt żjara, il-Ministru għall-Wirt Nazzjonali, l-Arti u l-Gvern Lokali, Owen Bonnici, u l-Ministru għall-Ambjent, l-Enerġija u l-Intrapriża, Miriam Dalli, ingħataw aġġornament dwar il-progress tal-proġett minn Anthony Cassar, il-Kap tat-Taqsima tat-Teknoloġija u l-Iżvilupp tal-Esperjenza. Preżenti wkoll għal din iż-żjara kien hemm il-Kapijiet Eżekuttivi ta’ Heritage Malta u tal-Korporazzjoni għas-Servizzi tal-Ilma, Noel Zammit u Karl Cilia, kif ukoll iċ-Chairman ta’ Heritage Malta, Mario Cutajar.
Il-Ministru Owen Bonnici qal li l-iskennjar ta’ dawn il-pjanti kien possibbli permezz ta’ scanner apposta li għandha Heritage Malta. Żied jgħid li minbarra l-iskennjar tal-pjanti, il-proġett jinkludi wkoll l-iskennjar tan-noti bil-lapes li hemm fuq il-pjanti. “Dawn in-noti huma importanti ħafna billi bosta minnhom fihom tagħrif kruċjali u kummenti li jgħinu lir-riċerkaturi jinterpretaw il-pjanti aħjar,” qal il-Ministru Bonnici.
Il-Ministru Miriam Dalli saħqet li dan il-proġett huwa wieħed ta’ importanza kbira mhux biss għall-Korporazzjoni għas-Servizzi tal-Ilma iżda anke għal pajjiżna, fejn se jiġu diġitizzati 15,000 pjanta arkitettonika mis-seklu 19 u l-bidu tas-seklu 20 dwar l-istorja tal-ilma f’pajjiżna.
“Qegħdin nagħtu aċċess lill-pubbliku inġenerali parti integrali mill-istorja tas-settur tal-ilma f’Malta, speċjalment studenti u akkademiċi, biex jużaw din l-informazzjoni bħala parti mir-riċerka tagħhom”, qalet il-Ministru Dalli.
Il-Kap Eżekuttiv ta’ Heritage Malta, Noel Zammit, tkellem dwar il-benefiċċji kbar permezz tal-użu tal-aħħar teknoloġija fuq l-artifatti storiċi. Huwa qal li bħala l-aġenzija responsabbli mill-preservazzjoni tal-wirt kulturali u bħala l-aggregatur nazzjonali għad-data dwar il-wirt kulturali nazzjonali, Heritage Malta tinvesti kontinwament fid-diġitizzazzjoni biex tiżgura li tkun mgħammra bir-riżorsi meħtieġa biex tiddiġitizza l-akbar firxa possibbli mill-wirt kulturali ta’ pajjiżna.
Il-Kap Eżekuttiv tal-Korporazzjoni għas-Servizzi tal-Ilma, Karl Cilia, qal, “Il-kollezzjoni diversa tal-Korporazzjoni għandha valur u sinifikat storiku u tinkludi tpinġijiet mil-lat arkitettoniku, pjanti u bosta dokumenti antiki li sibna matul ir-riċerka għall-pubblikazzjoni tal-ktieb, ‘8000 Years of Water’. Id-diġitizzazzjoni ta’ dawn l-artifatti tmur oltre sempliċiment l-iskop ta’ preservazzjoni, iżda se nkunu qed nonoraw il-wirt li għandna – kemm dak arkitettoniku u kemm dak tal-ilma – u b’hekk niżguraw l-aċċessibbiltà u l-ispirazzjoni ta’ dan il-wirt għall-ġenerazzjonijiet futuri”.