January is already one of the 10 wettest Januaries ever recorded, according to the Meteorological Office (TMID, 25 January).

It is also reported that this January it is also one of the coldest, with temperatures this week falling by four degrees Celsius that the average for this time of the year.

While it is expected that January is one of the wettest and coldest months of the year, this year it will bring a lot of a difference in terms of water and electricity bills.

We are already starting to experience the increase in the cost of such bills ever, since the 55 per cent surcharge was introduced for November and December. The bills have started to arrive.

Although the surcharge has been brought down to 47.5 per cent for January and February, this would still mean that households have to pay much more than they used to. A household that last January paid Lm30 will have to pay nearly Lm45 for this month, if consumption remained the same.

And considering that the price of oil on the international market has started to creep up again, it would not be a surprise if the surcharge is increased again for March-April.

Anyway, there is little one can do about this. However, it must be pointed out once again that there are energy alternatives that are not being promoted enough or encouraged enough. The government does not seem to be too interested, for example, in wind energy, while solar energy usage is still very low when compared to other countries.

I believe that there should be a concerted effort by the authorities to seek other ways of energy that would be cost effective and reduce the financial burden on Maltese families.

M. Farrugia

Birkirkara