Turkish firm hits back at claims of ‘faulty’ pipes in €7m WSC contract

A Turkish company that had a €7 million contract terminated by the Water Services Corporation (WSC) has hit back at claims it provided faulty pipes.

In a rare public naming-and-shaming exercise, the government-owned water supplier announced last week that its contract with Superlit was cancelled after rigorous testing revealed that the pipes failed to meet the required quality standards.

Superlit was contracted by WSC via an open tender to supply pipes for an underground tunnel linking the Pembroke reverse osmosis plant to a major reservoir in Ta’ Qali.

In comments to Times of Malta, a Superlit spokesperson said from the outset it had raised concerns about the way the pipes were installed by a third-party contractor selected by the corporation.

Times of Malta understands that the contractor in question is Bonnici Brothers, a construction company with close ties to Prime Minister Robert Abela.

Bonnici Brothers did not respond to a request for comment.

We also contend that the testing process itself was not compliant with the contract and international standards- Superlit

Superlit also said it had raised concerns that the samples WSC sent for testing were compromised as they had been stored outdoors and exposed to significant hot weather and UV radiation prior to being shipped for testing.

“We also contend that the testing process itself was not compliant with the contract and international standards,” Superlit said.

Superlit said that, despite this, it submitted a “detailed methodology” for repairing any affected pipes.

It said repair of pipes is a solution that is standard in the industry, explicitly provided for in the contract and also permitted by WSC.

The company said however that WSC dismissed this outright, without explaining why repair, a contractually agreed option, was not acceptable.

Corporation 'ignored' company's requests 

Superlit said the corporation “ignored” its requests to explain why it did not view repairs as acceptable.

“Superlit has always acted in good faith and remains confident in the quality of our products, which are internationally certified and successfully used in major infrastructure projects worldwide,” the company said.

Questioned about Superlit’s claims, a WSC spokesperson dismissed the allegations that faulty installation caused the problems with the piping.

“It concerns material that failed to meet the technical specifications clearly set out in the tender document. Compliance with these specifications is a non-negotiable requirement,” the spokesperson said.

The corporation said the samples sent abroad for testing were jointly selected by representatives of both WSC and Superlit.

Termination of this contract was the result of a clear failure to meet contractual obligations- Water Services Corporation

“Any suggestion that the selection process compromised the outcome is inaccurate,” the spokesperson said.

The corporation insisted that testing was carried out by an internationally recognised and jointly agreed independent expert body. The sole purpose was to confirm whether the supplied material met the technical specifications required by the tender, and the results were “conclusive,” the WSC spokesperson said.

Repairs to the “defective material” were not an option, the spokesperson continued.

“The contract required the supply of fully compliant products, not remedial patchwork. WSC has a responsibility to safeguard public funds and ensure that only material of the highest standard is used in critical national infrastructure.

“WSC reiterates that the termination of this contract was the result of a clear failure to meet contractual obligations, confirmed through rigorous, transparent and internationally recognised processes”.