Gżira Rehabilitation Project

National Impact

The Gżira Rehabilitation Project is a project of national interest and forms part of the Malta Vision 2050, combining heritage restoration, public open space, water-infrastructure improvement, environmental design, and civic use.

The project will restore the Grade 1 scheduled Neo-Gothic Gżira pumping station, a late-19th-century landmark that served as Malta's main water and sewer pumping station for the North Harbour area. This protects an important part of Malta's industrial and architectural heritage while reopening a site that has been closed to the public for more than a century.

Nationally, the project shows how Malta can reuse historic infrastructure rather than treat it as obsolete. The €10 million investment will improve operational systems so the pumping station runs more efficiently and with less noise, while also creating a public garden around the building.

The project also responds to Malta's need for more accessible green and shaded spaces in dense urban areas. The planned garden will include landscaping, shaded seating, gathering spaces, drought-resistant local plants, low-impact paving, lighting, rainwater systems, and new entrances from Luqa Briffa Street and D'Argens Street.

Key Features

The project is being led by the Water Services Corporation, Malta's national utility responsible for the full drinking-water and wastewater cycle: it produces and supplies drinking water, and collects, treats, disposes of and, where applicable, recycles wastewater.

• Restoration of a Grade 1 historic pumping station through a €10 million investment — The project will restore the Grade 1 scheduled Neo-Gothic Gżira Pumping Station, a late-19th-century building and important part of Malta's water infrastructure, through a €10 million rehabilitation investment announced by the Ministry for the Environment, Energy and Public Cleanliness and the Ministry for Home Affairs, Security and Employment.
• Reopening a long-closed site as a new public garden and community space — After being closed for more than a century, the site will be reopened to the public and transformed into a new garden and community space featuring landscaping, shaded seating areas, smaller gathering spaces, lighting, low-impact paving, drought-resistant local plants, and a sustainable rainwater system, designed for everyday recreation, community activities, and educational visits.
• Better access and reconnection with Gżira — New entrances from Luqa Briffa Street and D'Argens Street will reconnect the site with the locality, including the removal of a wall that has separated the site from the community for over 100 years.
• Operational upgrades — The Water Services Corporation says the project will improve the systems that keep the pumping station running, so that it operates more efficiently and with less noise.
• Restoration of the reinforced concrete water tower — The site includes one of Malta's few early reinforced-concrete water tanks. The Water Services Corporation chose to retain and restore it rather than remove it, with restoration led by the University of Malta's Faculty for the Built Environment.
• Underground reservoir and broader site works — The proposal also includes an underground reservoir, reconstruction of the back wing, rebuilding of the chimney, and rebuilding of the boundary wall overlooking Triq Luqa Briffa.

Status & Timeline

1. May 2026

   The project was officially presented as a €10 million rehabilitation project by Government and the Water Services Corporation.

2. Oct 2025

   Public reporting confirmed that a planning application had been submitted by the Water Services Corporation for restoration of the pumping station.

3. June 2018

   The Neo-Gothic pumping station was given Grade 1 protection, the highest level of scheduling protection.