The Water Services Corporation (WSC) said Tuesday it has issued a public tender for a new reverse osmosis plant at Għar Lapsi, as part of its ongoing investment in Malta's water infrastructure.

The tender, with an estimated value of €35 million excluding VAT, is for the design, construction, commissioning and transfer of a new reverse osmosis plant at Għar Lapsi. The project involves the construction of a new "Plant B" within the existing Għar Lapsi reverse osmosis facility.

The new plant will consist of six independent reverse osmosis systems with a combined production capacity of 30,000 cubic metres of potable water per day, the corporation said

The existing facility will remain fully operational throughout the construction and commissioning period. The tender envisages an overall contract duration of 150 weeks.

The first three reverse osmosis systems must be commissioned within 125 weeks from contract signature, with the remaining three commissioned within a further 25 weeks. The plant will also incorporate energy recovery devices to capture energy from the high-pressure reject stream, reducing the plant's energy demand.

This tender forms part of WSC's National Investment Plan, which will see more than €400 million invested in Malta's water infrastructure over the next decade, WSC said.

The Għar Lapsi project also contributes to a wider programme aimed at increasing Malta's freshwater production capacity by approximately 81,000 cubic metres per day. Similar tenders for reverse osmosis capacity upgrades are planned for Pembroke and a new plant in the south of Malta.

"The tender reflects our commitment to expanding Malta's water production capacity, as part of WSC's National Investment Plan," said Karl Cilia, CEO of the Water Services Corporation. 

For more information and full tender documentation, interested economic operators can visit www.etenders.gov.mt.