John Culatto
UNTREATED sewage flowing into the sea from Gibraltar could soon be a thing of the past after its government found a company that could clean it up in a sustainable way.
The government has chosen British company ECO Waters Ltd to carry out the job from a list of proposals that responded to the June 7 tender.
It followed the failure of the last company to start the job after it folded before taking on the project in the Europa Point area.
The contract to clean the waste waster was more complicated because Gibraltar uses salt water in its toilets.
This is very different to most other sewage systems that use fresh water so equipment has to be extra strong to withstand the corrosion caused by the salt.
The government laid out some other strict rules for the contract including having an enclosed system that was small enough to fit at the Brewery Crusher site.
Now the authorities will look to discuss the finer technical and commercial details with ECO Water and clear the site before construction, it said in a statement.
Minister for Environment John Cortes said: “This is a very important and positive step forward for Gibraltar.
“All proposals have been subjected to a rigorous environmental
assessment process, and I am confident that ECO Waters Ltd will be capable in delivering a wastewater plant that is environmentally conscious.”
And Chief Minister Fabian Picardo said he was ‘extremely pleased’ to finally award the contract for the sewage plant.
“This project means that we will be capable of serving Gibraltar’s needs in a way that has not been possible before,” he said.
“I hope construction can begin as soon as possible.”
The wastewaster treatment plant has been a manifesto commitment for the GSLP/Liberals since the 2011 election, and one of the few to remain unfulfilled.
Eco Waters describes itself on its website as ‘one of the world’s largest manufacturers of water treatment systems’ using ‘game-changing innovations’.
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