Ongoing maintenance work beneath Malta's streets supports flood prevention for 70,000 residents
Each year, workers from the Public Works Department collect more than 2,400 tonnes of waste from 16 kilometres of underground stormwater tunnels. This work, often unnoticed, has a direct and indirect positive impact on around 70,000 residents.
During a visit to the National Flood Relief Project (NFRP) facilities in Mosta, Parliamentary Secretary for Public Works Omar Farrugia observed the continuous efforts carried out by Public Works Department employees underground in preparation for the winter season.
Parliamentary Secretary Omar Farrugia explained, “As the Public Works Department, we are ensuring that the underground infrastructure which collects rainwater from the surface is regularly cleaned and maintained, to strengthen the system and guarantee the safety of the Maltese people."
He added that the Government will continue working to maintain this important national investment in optimal condition. “This not only reflects responsible governance, but also a long-term vision for a more resilient and sustainable Malta," concluded the Parliamentary Secretary.
Perit Mario Ellul, Director of the Coastal and Stormwater Unit (CSU) within the Public Works Department, explained that in the coming years, alongside ongoing work on the construction of new water culverts in various localities, several expansion projects are planned to extend this primary infrastructure. This includes an additional 4 kilometres of channels, tunnels, and large culverts, bringing the total to 20 kilometres of main flood relief infrastructure.
The current tunnel infrastructure spans approximately 16 kilometres, at depths ranging from 8 to 25 metres below road level. It includes a total of 142 culverts which collect rainwater from streets and convey it through shafts into the tunnels. The system is also equipped with 94 oil filters to clean the water before it enters the tunnels. The department also maintains key watercourses in Wied Ħal Qormi, Marsa, and Wied il-Qasab in Birkirkara.
In addition to tunnel maintenance and cleaning works, this year the Public Works Department, through the CSU, has implemented and is continuing work on the construction of new culverts to mitigate flooding in various areas across the country. In fact, 2.3 kilometres of new culverts are being built in different localities.
Another important function of the CSU is the cleaning of reservoirs in rural areas. In 2024, the department carried out major works on several reservoirs, resulting in the collection and reuse of over 13,000 cubic metres of rainwater, which would otherwise have been lost, for irrigation by farmers. The unit is also planning several projects to increase water storage capacity through the construction of new reservoirs and the restoration of existing ones in various localities.
