Work starts on Gibraltar’s long-awaited new sewage treatment plant

Preliminary works on Gibraltar's long-awaited new sewage treatment plant have officially commenced, the Ministry for the Environment has confirmed.

Ecowaters Limited, which was awarded the tender in June, is now undertaking pre-construction assessments and onsite enabling works to advance the project to its next phases. The company will collaborate with appointed contractors over the coming months to finalise the design and complete the planning application, which includes a required environmental impact assessment.

The Ministry has pledged to provide regular updates on the project's progress, citing the urgent need for the facility to be constructed and operational.

Environment Minister John Cortes expressed his satisfaction at the project's advancement. "I am really pleased that we are finally able to get this show on the road, after all the difficulties that we have encountered in the past," he said.

"The waste water treatment plant will become a reality in a couple of years and, together with other developments in treatment of solid waste, we will have completely turned around how we deal with our waste, ensuring it is disposed of in an environmentally sustainable manner."

The plant represents a significant step in Gibraltar's environmental infrastructure development and is expected to be fully commissioned within the next two years.