A Vital yet unseen National level Project: the National Flood Relief Project

by Bonnici Brothers

When it comes to National projects which affect the nation’s entire infrastructure, there are only a few entities which the Government can solidly rely upon.
Bonnici Group, and its encompassed companies, are such an entity. One such Project – handled by Bonnici Brothers – is Malta’s National Flood Relief Project: an essential part of Malta’s broader efforts to modernise its infrastructure, and hugely important to the country.
It is a sign of the sheer professionalism and efficiency of Bonnici Group that the population is hardly aware of it.

Underground water systems, power grids, broadband networks, and waste management facilities are essential for everyday life but aren’t as visible as roads, bridges, or airports. Indeed, the National Flood Relief Project in Malta is a great example of an “unseen” yet vital infrastructure initiative. Flood prevention systems, like drainage channels and reservoirs, aren’t always visible or directly experienced by the public unless there’s a failure or extreme weather event. However, they play a critical role in protecting the country, preventing property damage, and ensuring that daily life isn’t disrupted by floods, especially in a place like Malta, which can be vulnerable to heavy rain due to its small land area and urban density. When these systems work well, people often don’t realise how much risk they mitigate, but if they weren’t there, the consequences would be disastrous. It’s a classic case of crucial infrastructure being underappreciated because it’s working as intended, which is often out of sight. This project was completed in 2015 and is part of the Government’s plan to solve the flooding problems during the rainy season. Bonnici Brothers were thus tasked by the Government with this national issue. The project consisted of the construction of various underground tunnels and shafts to allow the rain water to flow through them instead of via the public roads. The National Flood Relief Project (NFRP) in Malta was designed to address serious flooding issues that have affected various parts of the country, particularly during the rainy season. Malta’s geographic and urban characteristics, including its steep landscapes and dense urbanisation, make it vulnerable to flash flooding, especially in low-lying areas. The project aims to significantly reduce the risk of floods in major urban zones.

Bonnici Brothers, a prominent Maltese construction company, has played a key role in implementing this project. Their work has involved building extensive underground tunnels, culverts, and other water diversion systems to channel excess rainwater away from urban areas and into reservoirs or the sea. The scale of the engineering is impressive, involving kilometres of underground pipelines, the excavation of massive reservoirs, and complex hydraulic structures. The project has had significant environmental and infrastructural benefits, reducing the damage to roads, homes, and businesses caused by flooding, which used to be a major recurring issue in Malta. By improving the country’s drainage infrastructure, the project also helps protect key urban areas and ensures that Maltese towns and cities are more resilient to extreme weather events. The tunnels have a diameter of around 8 metres and are around 10 km long. The company invested in special equipment to be able to complete this project and 80% of this project was funded by the EU. As a leading construction company in Malta, Bonnici Brothers used a combination of the following machinery and tools, amongst others.

Hydraulic Excavators

Different types and sizes were used for the digging of trenches and tunnels of various depth and soil conditions.

Long-reach Excavators

These were used for reaching areas that are difficult to access or for excavation in deeper trenches.

Tunnel Boring Machines (TBMs)

These machines were utilised so that Bonnici Brothers could have precisely cut through rock while creating a smooth tunnel lining.

Rock Crushers

These were vital to break down excavated rock material, whilst allowing it to be reusable by Bonnici Brothers in other areas, reducing waste.

Bulldozers

Bulldozers were used to clear the site, remove debris, and prepare the area for further excavation and construction.

Wheel Loaders and Skid Steers

For moving excavated materials, including soil and debris, these machines helped transfer materials quickly from the excavation site to dumping zones and for re utilisation.

Dump Trucks

Large-capacity dump trucks were used to transport the excavated material from the site to other locations, especially when large quantities of earth or rock were removed.

Piling Rigs

These were employed for deep foundation construction, particularly where firm, reinforced foundations were required.

Cranes

Cranes were necessary to lift heavy construction materials, such as large pre-cast concrete culverts and piping systems.

Concrete Mixers and Pumps

Large-scale concrete mixers and pumps were essential for laying concrete in tunnels, water channels, and foundations.

Drilling Rigs

To make deep boreholes for soil investigation and ground reinforcement, drilling rigs were employed. These were particularly useful in areas where the rock was especially hard.

Compaction Equipment

Rollers and Vibratory Compactors were employed to compress the soil or rock after excavation to ensure stability before further construction.

Water Pumps

Heavy-duty water pumps were utilised to keep the site dry and operational, ensuring no flooding would disrupt the work.

This is one of the major projects done in the history of Bonnici Bros, and one of the largest which Malta has ever benefited from.

Bonnici Group
Bonnici House, Triq is-Sardin
Burmarrad SPB 6073, Malta
Tel.: (+356) 2359 6000
Email: info@bbg.com.mt
FB: https://www.facebook.com/bonnicigroup
www.bonnicigroup.com