The Planning Commission approved planning permission for works to be carried out on the restoration of a historic concrete water tower which is located within the Civil Abattoir in Marsa, the Planning Authority said in a statement.

This structure which was constructed in the 1930s is considered an important industrial heritage monument in the Maltese Islands.  

The project which will be carried out by the Ministry for the Environment in collaboration with the University of Malta will focus not only on the restoration of the water tower structure but serve as a research structure for lifetime engineering performance assessment. Innovative materials and techniques will be used throughout its restoration with an appreciation and respect for the original materials, structure, and form of construction of the water tower. Embedded sensors will be installed to monitor the structural health of this unique structure.

The water reservoir consists of a drum, open at the top with the lower part consisting of a conical structure and a dome, resting on a ring beam at the top of 12 columns supported on a base.

The water tower is considered to be a unique structure and the only one of its type in the Maltese Islands. The restoration project is the first project of its kind in Malta and is in itself primarily a research project in the advanced assessment of reinforced concrete and in the restoration of reinforced concrete structures.

This project is being part-financed by the Planning Authority.