English Version :
€10 million investment for the sustainable use of groundwater
The Qattara project has been completed as a result of a €10 million investment leading to better quality of water and less dependency on groundwater.
During a press conference at the Qrendi reservoirs, Minister for Energy, Enterprise and Sustainable Development Miriam Dalli and Parliamentary Secretary for European Funds Stefan Zrinzo Azzopardi explained that this project will result in more sustainable use of natural resources.
“Some 1,000 residents were using water directly extracted from boreholes. Thanks to this project, potable water arriving at people’s homes will be mixed with water produced through Reverse Osmosis. This will eliminate over extraction whilst ensuring water which is of better quality in taste”, explained Minister Miriam Dalli.
Parliamentary Secretary Stefan Zrinzo Azzopardi explained that through this investment, co-financed by European funds, a better-quality water supply will be providing the service to the residents of the surrounding areas.
Parliamentary Secretary Zrinzo Azzopardi added that the aim of this project was to improve the services provided by the Water Services Corporation to the public and to achieve the highest level of operational efficiency of the Corporation, while at the same time reducing the impact of operations on the environment and natural resources.
The investment in the Qrendi reservoir included 50km of pipework to improve water distributions in remote parts of Siġġiewi and Ħaż-Żebbuġ.
The Qattara project was initiated back in 2019, when works included 32 kilometres of trenchwork and the subsequent laying of around 50km of potable water mains leading the boreholes towards the reservoir. This process will direct the groundwater towards the Qrendi reservoir, which will then be mixed with the Reverse Osmosis.
“The Water Services Corporation is continuously investing in various projects to provide the best water quality to its customers”, highlighted Minister Dalli.
These projects include the first Reverse Osmosis in Gozo, the underground tunnel between Ta’ Qali and Pembroke servicing central locations, as well as upgrades around Malta to deliver quality tap water across the island.
Jitlesta l-proġett tal-Qattara b’investiment ta’ €10 miljun għal użu aktar sostenibbli tal-ilma tal-pjan
B’investiment ta’ €10 miljun, il-Korporazzjoni għas-Servizzi tal-Ilma lestiet il-proġett tal-Qattara bil-għan li jtejjeb il-kwalità tal-ilma fit-togħma tiegħu u jnaqqas il-pressjoni minn fuq l-ilma tal-pjan.
F’konferenza tal-aħbarijiet mill-ġibjun tal-Qrendi, il-Ministru għall-Enerġija, l-Intrapriża u l-Iżvilupp Sostenibbli Miriam Dalli u s-Segretarju Parlamentari għall-Fondi Ewropej Stefan Zrinzo Azzopardi spjegaw li dan il-proġett ifisser aktar sostenibbiltà fl-użu tar-riżorsi naturali ta’ pajjiżna.
“B’dan il-proġett, 1,000 persuna li kienu jużaw ilma li ġej direttament mill-borehole, issa ġew imqabbda ma’ servizz li jagħmel użu wkoll mill-ilma tar-Reverse Osmosis. B’hekk qed naraw li ma jkunx hemm overextraction tal-ilma tal-pjan filwaqt li l-kwalità tal-ilma tkun waħda tajba fit-togħma tiegħu,” spjegat il-Ministru Miriam Dalli.
Is-Segretarju Parlamentari Stefan Zrinzo Azzopardi spjega li permezz ta’ dan l-investiment li qed isir kofinanzjat minn fondi Ewropej, se noffru lin-nies tal-madwar provvista ta’ ilma ta’ kwalità aħjar.
Dr Zrinzo Azzopardi qal li l-għan tal-proġett huwa li nkomplu ntejbu s-servizzi pprovduti mill-Korporazzjoni għas-Servizzi tal-Ilma lill-pubbliku u li nilħqu l-ogħla livell ta’ effiċjenza operattiva tal-korporazzjoni filwaqt li fl-istess ħin innaqqsu l-impatt tal-operazzjonijiet fuq l-ambjent u r-riżorsi naturali.
L-investiment fuq il-ġibjuni fil-Qrendi inkludew b’50km ta’ pajpijiet biex itejbu d-distribuzzjoni tal-ilma f’żoni remoti fis-Siġġiewi u f’Ħaż-Żebbuġ ukoll.
Il-proġett ta’ Qattara ngħata bidu fl-2019 fejn beda t-tħaffir ta’ 32 kilometru ta’ trinek biex jiġu installati madwar 50km ta’ pajpijiet li se jwasslu għas-sistema tal-boreholes lejn il-ġibjuni. F’dan il-proċess, l-ilma tal-pjan se jiġi direzzjonat lejn il-ġibjun tal-Qrendi biex imbagħad jitħallat ma’ dak tar-Reverse Osmosis.
“Il-Korporazzjoni għas-Servizzi tal-Ilma għaddejja b’investiment bla preċedent fejn qed inkomplu naħdmu biex intejbu l-kwalità tas-servizz provdut liċ-ċittadini tagħna,” saħqet il-Ministru Dalli.
Dawn il-proġetti jinkludu l-ewwel Reverese Osmosis f’Għawdex, mina bejn Ta’ Qali u Pembroke – li se tkun qed twassal għal titjib tal-ilma f’lokalitajiet ċentrali kif ukoll upgrades madwar Malta, biex fis-snin li ġejjin il- korporazzjoni tkun tista’ twassal ilma tal-vit b’togħma tajba, ħalli b’hekk ikun hemm konformità f’kull naħa ta’ Malta u ta’ Għawdex.