WSC terminates company's €7m contract following failed pipe tests
The pipes were meant to carry water from Pembroke RO plant to Ta' Qali reservoir
A company's contract to supply pipes for a tunnel linking the Pembroke reverse osmosis plant to a major reservoir in Ta' Qali has been terminated by the Water Services Corporation.
The WSC said it had terminated its contract with Turkish company Superlit for the supply of GRP pipes after rigorous testing revealed that the product failed to meet the required quality standards.
The €7 million contract was awarded in June 2023. Superlit manufactures and sells pressure and non-pressure GRP (Glass Reinforced Polyester) pipes.
"As part of our strict quality assurance procedures, sections of the supplied pipes were sent abroad for independent testing following on-site hydrostatic tests conducted in the presence of the contractor and international experts from certifying body, Kiwa (NL. B.V). These tests confirmed significant failures at pressures well below the required levels," the corporation said.
The WSC immediately asked for pipe replacement, but this was rejected by the supplier. The corporation said it turned down proposals involving patchwork or partial fixes.
It said it will now issue a new tender to ensure the project continues using materials that fully meet its specifications.
The tunnel, 70 metres below the ground surface, will carry water from the Pembroke reverse osmosis plant to the Ta’ Qali reservoir. It is at the heart of a years-long WSC project to standardise the quality of tap water across Malta.
Superlit Boru Sanayi was to provide glass fibre reinforced plastic pipes to be laid inside the tunnel. One of the mains would be used to supply blended water to the central part of the island through a centralised hub feeding, mainly using gravity.
The water transferred from the Pembroke reverse osmosis would be mixed with groundwater at the Ta’ Qali reservoirs, sampled and then treated to ensure the best quality blend, the WSC had explained when the contract was awarded.
Dalli: We will ensure value for money
Miriam Dalli, the minister responsible for the WSC, backed the corporation's decision.
“We must continuously ensure that taxpayers get what they pay for when it comes to infrastructure and services. When that is not the case, we will not hesitate to take the necessary action,” she said in a statement.
Miriam Dalli backed the WSC decision.Dalli said citizens would not be impacted by the decision to scrap the contract.
“I give you my word that we will continue to ensure that citizens and the country get value for money,” she added.