Sewage in Sliema: WSC takes drastic measure to stop debris dumping

The Water Services Corporation (WSC) has sealed several manholes in Sliema in a bid to curb illegal dumping into the sewage network, as residents blame a nearby hotel development for recent construction and sewage leaks into the sea.

The WSC told Times of Malta it had sealed manholes in the area close to one of property mogul Carlo Stivala’s hotel developments on The Strand “as a precautionary measure to prevent further illegal dumping into the network”.

The corporation did not link the Stivala site on the corner of Triq San Vinċenz with any illegal dumping into the network. Stivala said the WSC had inspected the site but found no wrongdoing.

The WSC was responding to residents’ claims that water pumped from Stivala’s site during excavation works was being discharged into the sewer system.

Photos sent to Times of Malta show pipes from the controversial development being fed into open manholes, while the hum of machinery, which residents say is from water pumps, is audible in video footage of the site.

The photos and videos were taken last month, just days before construction waste seeped into the sea along Sliema’s coastline after large volumes of demolition rubble obstructed the sewer line.

And, over the weekend, ongoing pipe-cleaning operations in the area following the obstruction led to murky, brown-coloured discharge, believed to be raw sewage, leaking into the sea.

Residents said that while excavation works had continued sporadically over the past few weeks, pumping activities had continued unabated, at times “throughout the night”, complaining of noise disturbances as a result.

Photos of Carlo Stivala's hotel development, taken yesterday.

Fresh photos and videos sent to Times of Malta yesterday show excavation and pumping taking place at the site, which can be seen filled with water, believed to be seawater.

Investigation

The WSC stressed that it is only alerted to illegal waste dumping following a blockage. “It is, therefore, not possible to identify the source of the construction material prior to or independent of that event,” it said, adding that investigating the origin of construction waste was outside its remit.

Emphasising that its responsibilities were limited to maintaining the wastewater network, the WSC said it had informed the Building and Construction Authority (BCA) of the incident, which it said was the appropriate body to investigate further.

Stivala said the WSC had inspected the site but “found nothing” irregular, adding that he and the corporation had agreed that manhole covers in the area should be sealed as a precaution.

The property mogul noted that the construction and sewage leaks in the area had started around two weeks ago and that his excavation works had started “around three months ago”.

Responding to residents’ complaints of water pumps operating through the night, he said, “they have a police station” where they can seek redress.

A large slick of what appears to be sewage extending into Marsamxett Harbour.

A sealed manhole next to Stivala's site. Photo: Chris Sant Fournier.

The Sliema Residents’ Association (SRA) said it “strongly condemns the abuse of the sewage system and the lack of action on the part of authorities”, adding that though residents had complained “for months, our reports were ignored until we reached this critical stage”.

In the weeks since conservation NGO Flimkien għal Ambjent Aħjar had petitioned the European Parliament about failures in wastewater management, “things have gone from bad to worse”, it observed.

The hotel development, which drew criticism in February after Stivala applied to sanction the demolition of a façade he had previously committed to retain, hit the headlines last month after excavation works were spotted underway in defiance of a stop works order by the BCA.

The regulator later said the excavation works had taken place at a time when it had authorised “limited remedial works”.

It is unclear if the stop work order is still in force, but no document granting permission for works to continue was visible on the Planning Authority’s website for either of the two permits covering the site at the time of publication.

Questions were sent to the BCA.