Sewage treatment plant at Ic-Cumnija

Plans for a sewage treatment plant to be built with the help of EU funds at Ic-Cumnija show that agricultural land will be untouched but some destruction of garigue will take place.

A site near Maghtab was considered as an alternative with less impact on the landscape and better opportunities for using treated water in agriculture on nearby fields. Farmland at Burmarrad is closer to Ghallis and the area is already degraded. The disadvantage of the Cumnija site is that it is rich in ecology while the nearest farmland is at Pwales.

At the public hearing it was learned that the tender for building the plant at Ic-Cumnija had already been issued for the plant to be built at the existing sewage outfall. How far this was considered within the framework of a national water policy was questioned. It will be a great shame if we end up throwing water away due to lack of good planning.

Measures to mitigate the effect of the plant on the environment include reducing light pollution, retaining the country lane with little alterations and keeping a low profile apart from a two-storey administration block.