The government on Thursday announced that works on a soak-away reservoir in Gzira with the capacity to hold 10,000 cubic metres of water is expected to be completed by March.

The project involves a total investment of about €1 million and forms part of the ambitious €56 million flood relief project that includes the excavation of a series of underground tunnels, some of which are up to 11 kilometres long.

The project also includes a series of canals in areas around Marsa and Qormi, as well as the reconstruction of some bridges that have been obstructing the flow of water. The entire project is expected to be completed in 20 months’ time.

The idea of the soak away reservoir is to allow rain and runoff water to seep back into the water table, allowing for not only the storage of water that previously used to run off into the sea, but also for replenishment of the aquifer.

The project, spearheaded by the Resources Ministry, is expected to more than double Malta’s existing water retention capacity from 200,000 cubic metres to about 700,000 cubic metres. For years, normal people and activists have decried the amount of water that has gone to waste when it rains. The project is ambitious, and it is also understood that silts and soils collected in the reservoirs will be redistributed to farmers to combat soil erosion.

We give the government its dues – this project is much needed for both the current infrastructure of the island as well as the sustainability of water use in the long term future. We hope that this plan will tie in well with the government’s registration of boreholes to prevent illegal extraction of groundwater, as was pointed out recently.

This newspaper has long campaigned for more awareness of sustainability in terms of development, water management, food management, the environment and more. We have even attracted the ire of some who have taken exception to some tongue in cheek remarks, headlines and even some harder hitting leading articles where we have said time and time again, that the time to act is now, before it is too late.

Often, our stances have given rise to angry phone calls and correspondence demanding rights of reply. We have always published them. But it begs the question. Why does such news come out so late? These projects are co-financed by the European Union and have been underway for some time. So why them are details only emerging now – months before a general election? Perhaps it was a strategic move to garner more support as the time gets closer.

Make no mistake – we praise all moves in favour of animal rights, environmental sustainability and in preserving our natural heritage. But this publishing house will never waver from its values. The environment is something which we believe is a priority and we will continue to battle against the currents to ensure that our voice, and the voice of NGOs and the people is heard. We will not bend or fold, just because we do not tie in with electoral support strategies.

We reiterate, we praise and laud such projects and give them our full support. But our role is that of a watchdog and nothing will sway us from the cause, no matter how much we may anger certain quarters. We believe this leading article is written in the right spirit – and we hope that egos can be put aside and that it is taken as such.