Through GiFluid project, Rabat Local Council will benefit from €1 million investment to implement community projects to increase the efficient use of water.

This project is being financed by the programme Interreg Italia – Malta, in conjunction with the Energy and Water Agency, Rabat Local Council together with the University of Catania, the Region Council of Sicily and Aci Castello.

The Energy and Water Agency in collaboration with the Rabat Local Council will rehabilitate St.

Dominic’s Square into a recreational space. Through this project, the infrastructure in the area will be upgraded and will also provide space for a reservoir to conserve the runoff water in the area.

This project will also seek to implement another green urban infrastructure, a roof garden on the National Centre for Water Conservation Għajn. In the past four years, this centre serves as an educational centre, where various students were exposed on the importance of water resources. Now, through the GiFluid project, this centre will also serve as a recreational area for families due to its surroundings, which will now be enhanced further by the development of this roof garden.

The development of a water catchment system will serve as a model to analyse the risk of flooding. Eventually this will lead to tests in the application of green solutions.

During the launch, the Minister for Energy, Enterprise and Sustainable Development Miriam Dalli said “Water resource is highly important, and therefore we have to find practical solutions to safeguard this source. This model will also serve as a tool for other ministries and government entities to plan and coordinate flood mitigation measures”.

Minister Miriam Dalli added how this model will consolidate a collaboration between entities for the development of key building block of sustainable policies and strategies.
“Sustainability should be ingrained in each and everything we do, and if we want to ensure a sustainable future, future generations should be provided with the necessary tools and knowledge.

With this project, we will be involving youth participation in training courses on green urban infrastructure design in Catania. This will help to create and develop a greener mentality among our future generations,” added Minister Dalli.

Minister Miriam Dalli concluded that these projects reflects the Government’s vision within sustainable development, whilst encouraged for more similar initiatives.