“The water isn’t coming from the network of pipes – it isn’t AC water nor is it drainage – it could originate from anywhere in the vicinity,” Sliema mayor Anthony Chircop told Lovin Malta.

“The same issue happened last year but it isn’t constant and doesn’t really happen in winter, it happens in summer and this year was much worse than last year,” he said.

While attempts to identify the source of the leakage have been unsuccessful, there is a general consensus that it could be emanating from a block of apartments.

“It could be coming from someone disposing of water waste in an illegal manner,” Chircop said.

And while the water isn’t hazardous, it is contaminated, according to Chircop.

“We are insisting that the health department comes up with some notice to be stuck there so at least people see something is being done,” he said.

With Chircop claiming that the issue doesn’t fall under the remit of the local council, Water Services is also unable to pinpoint the source of the contaminated water, complicating the issue even further.

“Unfortunately if it remains untraced, then we can do very little but we’re taking the matter very seriously,” he said.

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