Speaking at a press conference in Nadur, Alternattiva Demokratika chairperson Dr Harry Vassallo said that great improvements had been made in the quality of the drinking water supply in recent years as well in reducing leakages in the distribution system and conserving energy in water production through Reverse Osmosis.

“All these improvements should not blind us to the fact that the water supply in Malta is and will remain a critical issue and that much remains to be done in order to safeguard existing resources and to avoid wastage,” Dr Vassallo said.

“While climatologists have predicted that the annual rainfall in our region will continue to drop in future because of climate change, it is not difficult to predict that oil prices will continue to rise,” Dr Vassallo said. “A country that depends on imported oil to produce half of its drinking water must regard this issue as one of national security and keep it permanently in mind,” Dr Vassallo added.

“In the last several decades, illegal extraction of water from unauthorised boreholes and the illegal distribution of water from boreholes licensed only for irrigation purposes have been tolerated to such an absurd extent that effective management of ground water by the Water Services Corporation remains virtually impossible. It is not enough that this fact is documented each year in the annual report of the Water Services Corporation,” Dr Vassallo said. “Effective enforcement measures are necessary today and will become ever more critical in future as the rising costs of water will make illegal extraction even more lucrative,” Dr Vassallo continued.

“Securing all available water resources and ensuring a fair and highly efficient distribution of water is also a political issue.”

“It is necessary to ensure grassroots awareness of the challenges before us not only to optimise water economy but also to secure support for a widespread condemnation of threats to our water supply from illegal extraction, damage or contamination of the aquifer as well as the failure to exploit surface run-off and treated waste water.” Dr Vassallo said. “The agricultural sector with a clear vested interest in the matter should be made aware of the dangers posed by illegal extraction including increased groundwater salinity such as in Gozo.”

“Farmers should also be given more support when they get together to safeguard resources threatened by development such as the perched aquifer in Nadur, over which a very large cemetery of 600 graves and another church is being proposed to be built in an outside development zone. Sources of contamination of perched aquifers should be identified and remedied; better still, all possible contamination threats should be avoided,” Dr Vassallo said.

“EU membership has brought with it the benefit of the adoption of the EU’s water framework directive and the necessary compliance with EU standards,” Dr Vassallo said. “However, this should not blind us to the fact that Malta’s circumstances are exceptional and would be considered highly critical in any other EU country,” he added. “Treated waste water should not be wasted and every effort should be made to ensure that the current investments in waste water treatment allow for the reuse of recycled water now or in future, whether as second class water or as aquifer recharge,” Dr Vassallo said.

“While the government has invested in public works to speed up the discharge of rain water to the sea, at times without regard for archaeological remains or natural assets, there is no known plan to maintain existing water storage capacity and to extend it,” Dr Vassallo said. “Alternattiva Demokratika calls for the drawing up of a comprehensive and holistic National Water Strategy and for its widespread publication. We commit here and now to support any government and any government agency effectively enforcing existing laws to safeguard natural water resources and promoting public and private initiatives to make optimal use of this scarce resource,” Dr Vassallo said.