A 17th century wash-house, known as an għajn tal-ħasselin, on the outskirts of Mdina is in danger of collapse because a constant flow of fresh spring water is damaging its foundations.
A historic monument has been turned into a dangerous structure through negligence and "penny pinching foolishness", archaeologist Terrance Duggan said.
He called on the authorities to act fast to conserve the public wash house, built by the Knights of St John, before it was too late.
The wash-house, which served the populations of both Rabat and Mdina for centuries, with its three coats-of-arms on its façade, was defaced under Napoleon. But it still retains traces of the traditional red and yellow paintwork on its façade - the lower third red and the upper two-thirds yellow.
It is located in the steep road opposite the western gate of Mdina, which leads down to the former tram station.
A British national who has lived in Malta for several years, Mr Duggan said it was a pity that a beautiful structure, which was part of Malta's rich heritage, was left to disintegrate in this way.
He said the drainage was inadequate for the natural spring water that flows into this wash-house since the outflow drain is blocked. As a result, water is seeping into the ground and weakening the foundation.
Since it is located on a hill, the front part of the building has started to come away, causing fissures on the façade. There is an even more serious separation at the apex of the stone vault. The building is riddled with five-inch cracks.
Rather than dealing with the damage, the authorities put up two signs warning of a 'dangerous structure'. Mr Duggan said thousands of litres of fresh spring water flowing into the wash-house were being wasted instead of utilising it at least for irrigation.
When contacted yesterday, Mdina mayor Peter Sant Manduca said the council had been putting pressure on the Museums Department to fix the historic building but nothing had been done other than the erection of signs. He said the structure was suffering from the same problems as the Mdina bastions since the foundations were built on clay.
mxuereb@timesofmalta.com