Carelessly built drainage systems and heavy consumption speculated to be the cause of sewage overflow in Buġibba
A spokesman for the Water Services Corporation (WSC) has told The Malta Independent that recent sewage overflows in Buġibba could be the result of carelessly built drainage systems and heavy consumption.
Last week, there was a sewage overflow in Triq itTuristi, Buġibba which resulted in a river of excrement and toiletries. This is not the first time that such an incident has occurred.
The Malta Independent contacted St Paul’s Bay Mayor Alfred Grima to assess the situation further.
“The first time that I was notified of such an issue was at the end of October 2019. Since then, I recall receiving four private messages from the same resident. I have been informed that only two formal complaints have reached St Paul’s Bay Local Council over the past few months, one of which was logged by myself.”
Grima explained that in each case, he personally took the liberty of phoning the drainage division as soon as he was informed, and each and every report was attended to by the drainage division employees within an hour.
Such issues have only taken place in the street in question and the one parallel to it – Triq J. Quintinus – where on various occasions several nappies were found in the sewage system.
When asked for his opinion on a way forward, he said that he is not qualified to determine a course of action, insisting this should be left in the hands of experts from the WSC. He urged the corporation and Infrastructure Malta to sort out the issue once and for all.
A spokesman for the Water Services Corporation said that the situation is still being assessed, so only assumptions can be made for the time being. Through such assessments, the WSC hopes that its technical team can come up with a solution not only to the current overflow, but eventually a system for the years to come.
One possible cause of this overflow is excess roof and basement rain water which is being diverted to the main sewage system, the spokesman said.
“Usually when we say this, the reply is that it is an excuse but, in reality, it is not. A lot of people, perhaps unknowingly, have water drains connected to the sewage system. After a heavy downpour, there is an overflow.” A spokesman for the WSC said that overflow could affect specific households or the entire sewage system, which is only designed to handle so much water.
A spokesman for the corporation explained that shoddy connections laid by unscrupulous builders may go unnoticed by many homeowners.
Other possibilities include blocked rain water culverts which have been poorly maintained, and the issue of heavy consumption.
The spokesman highlighted that problems could be due to many people in the area using the sewage systems simultaneously, as the system cannot cater for that demand.
Infrastructure Malta was also contacted by this newsroom and explained that such issues are to be dealt with by the WSC. “We are sometimes involved when they (the WSC) request something to be done in an area which we may coincidentally be working in, and we do it at their expense,” a spokesperson for Infrastructure Malta said.