The valleys making up a substantial part of Malta’s countryside and open spaces have a number of functions but most importantly, they carry rain water and in certain areas store it.

Their ecological aspects and biodiversity are also very important. Besides the natural valleys, a few other storage areas such as the Chadwick Lakes and dams built in many valleys in the seventies have similar functions.

The Valley Management Unit of the Resources and Rural Affairs Ministry has been dealing with valley cleansing in a professional way for the last three years. The unit is made up of 30 employees – eight professional and technical officers and 22 employees who carry out cleansing works and other repair works to existing walls, bridges and pathways in these valleys.

As the director general for the Cleansing and Maintenance Department, Carm Mifsud Borg, and architect Stephen Bonello who heads the unit pointed out, it has embarked on a programme to compile photos and plans of valleys as well as information on land ownership and other infrastructural services that pass through these valleys, besides keeping them clean. In the near future all this information will be inserted into a Geographical Information System (GIS). Several layers of information can be inputted into this system, which in the future would serve as a database on the composition and structure of valleys, the vegetation found there, and where the water comes from. The unit is also collecting information on the government owned second class water reservoirs.

Two years ago, 6,600 cubic metres of material was removed from valleys and last year, 7,142 cubic metres was removed. So far this year, 8,273 cubic metres of material was collected from valleys, reflecting an increase in machinery and more efficient work practices.

Since much of the work being carried out is quite sensitive, the unit does this work in collaboration with Mepa’s Environmental Directorate, which issues method of work guidelines to the unit to follow for every specific valley. The unit also intends to employ an environmentalist and scientific officer to undertake more detailed studies and be able to propose more specific work for Mepa’s consideration.

Since many parts of valleys are privately owned, there are restrictions as to where government employees can clean and they mostly limit themselves to the parts where water flows.

In certain instances, complaints that valleys are not looked after are the talk of the town. But the issue is quite complicated and requires stronger human resources to be dealt with more effectively.

Mr Mifsud Borg and Mr Bonello pointed out that in olden times, there was less water in valleys when urban areas were smaller and fewer roads existed. Nowadays sometimes fields get flooded and addressing the issue of increasing the levels of water in valleys is not simple. Building a dam to control the water flow and store it will totally change the ecology of a valley. Consequently Environment Impact Assessments (EIAs) would be necessary for works over and above cleansing to be carried out.

However, even cleaning old dams requires delicate procedures to ensure the ecology is not greatly disturbed and affected. The Valley Management Unit therefore creates a cleaning programme from time to time. This is submitted to the Malta Environment and Planning Authority which deploys its environmental officers to visit the sites to be cleaned and produce a method statement for works.

“We cannot simply start cleaning a valley with bulldozers and shovels because it damages the environment badly,” said Mr Mifsud Borg. “The work has to be carried out carefully and in detail”.

It must be kept in mind that the Development Planning Act states that a development permit is necessary before valleys are cleared from accumulated sediment. An amendment to the law would possibly open a can of worms, so coordination with Mepa on a regular basis should continue. The Valley Management Unit would however like to work in better synergy with Transport Malta and even Mepa in certain instances, regarding development applications for works that can have adverse effects on valleys, although the unit is gradually getting more recognition.

Meanwhile, many fields flank valleys but when their owners die, rubble walls start getting damaged and if not repaired rain water carries soil down to the valley bed. There are also instances where farmers put too much soil onto their fields and this too gets carried away, the officers note.

A number of major valley arteries such as Wied il-Kbir and Wied is-Sewda in Qormi are cleaned once a year. Nonetheless, the unit gets reports that illegal dumping of white goods and other debris takes place in the valleys just days after they are cleansed.

The Great Reed (qasab komuni) is also posing a number of problems to the unit because it grows profusely and whereas in the past, it used to be cut and used or burnt, nowadays no one uses it and it is left to grow out of control. The unit is therefore finding it very difficult to remove its roots from areas where the water flow gets easily obstructed, without harming the surrounding ecology. When reeds snap, they float on the water until they get stuck and block the water way. While reeds are useful for valleys, as they dampen the storm water flow, they also have negative characteristics.

Because work in valleys can mostly be done during summer, time and limitations on human resources make things more difficult for the Valley Management Unit. The services passing through valleys pose another major challenge. One such example is an electricity power cable situated at Wied il-Kbir in Qormi that provides power to the airport which, if damaged, would greatly affect airport operations. Drainage and Water Services pipes are also passing through valleys so if something goes wrong, a drainage overflow for instance will go into the valley bed and contaminate it.

Yet more concerning is the fact that some farms situated on the outskirts of towns and villages still use outdated cleansing systems for the disposal of their animal waste, which in many cases ends up overflowing into valleys. Farmers whose fields flank valleys in some cases do not bother to gather up waste after pruning trees and shrubs, dumping it into the valley rather than disposing of it in one of the easily accessible dumping sites.

Following EU accession, and through the help of subsidies that the ministry has made available for the improvement of farm facilities, problems with farms are diminishing and things are moving ahead.

The unit needs a good number of people especially in the summer months to carry out as much work as possible. Before the unit was established, valleys had somewhat been neglected and works mainly focused on building water retention dams.

To tackle this year’s programme of works, the unit’s employees were split into five groups and are tackling 13 valley areas up till October. These include: Wied il-Kbir in Qormi, Wied il-Bidni in Marsascala, the Marsa Ditch, Wied Qannotta and Wied Ghajn Rihana in Burmarrad. Work has also started on four valleys in the limits of Siggiewi namely, Wied Hesri, Wied il-Lewza, Wied il-Luq and Wied ta’ l-Isqof.

Works on Wied is-Sewda, in Qormi, Wied il-Qlejgha (known as Chadwick Lakes), Wied Rmiedi in Attard and Wied ta’ San Martin are also underway.

Meanwhile, the reservoirs in Gudja Road, Tarxien; Tal-Barrani Road, Zejtun; San Niklaw in Zejtun; Pembroke; Hal Farrug and Triq Garibaldi in Luqa; Wied Garnaw in Santa Lucija and two reservoirs near the Addolorata cemetery in Marsa are being cleaned. Some works are also taking place in Wied is-Sewda, Attard and Tal-Hemsija in the limits of Rabat.

The Gozo Ministry is also carrying out more work on valleys in Gozo.

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