Dalli finds the culprit of Wied Speranza: water in a valley

Environment Minister Miriam Dalli has attributed the collapse of a newly rebuilt wall in Mosta’s Wied Speranza to site conditions and water pressure, describing these factors as beyond the control of both Project Green and its contractor.

The wall remains unrepaired, months after a commitment to rebuild it following the wet season.

The rubble wall partly collapsed just six weeks after the inauguration of the valley’s regeneration project, sending rocks and soil into the watercourse it was supposed to protect.

In January, The Shift reported that Daniel Abela, director of contractor LBA Ltd, had promised to rebuild the damaged section at his company’s expense, with no additional cost to the public purse.

No action has been taken since.

In her latest parliamentary reply given last week, Miriam Dalli introduced a requirement for additional funding without specifying the amount or who will pay.

Asked why no work had been carried out despite repairs being expected in May 2026, Dalli said Project Green had appointed an expert to establish the cause of the damage and determine how to proceed.

The inspection, she said, could take place only after water levels in the valley fell.

According to the minister, the assessment identified several contributing factors, including site conditions, soil retaining more water than anticipated, and water pressure against the wall.

She explicitly described these factors as beyond Project Green’s or the contractor’s control.

Dalli said the wall would not be rebuilt using the original method. Instead, a solution better suited to the site’s conditions had been prepared.

Project Green and the expert drew up new designs, which she said had been approved by the Environment and Resources Authority and the Superintendence of Cultural Heritage.

The proposed works are more extensive and deeper than originally planned, requiring additional funding, she said.

The reply provided neither a starting date nor a completion deadline. Dalli reiterated that the valley’s environmental characteristics restrict works to months without rain, raising the prospect of another postponement until next summer.

The collapsed section, for which Dalli and Project Malta commisison and expert, is no longer than 15 metres long.