President George Vella said that education remains central for Malta to be truly in favour of a sustainable world, while he warned of the impact that the lack of water preservation has on the environment around us.

“Today more than ever, we need to truly understand what our ancestors have always wisely taught us, that every drop counts. This philosophy and appreciation for water preservation should extend to other areas, including industries that make excessive use of water”, said the president while being presented with the book ‘8000 Years of Water’.

The president referred to the information released in the past weeks, which showed that concrete producers alone used 237 million litres of water in a three-year period, while the number of swimming pools and artificial turf areas needing a lot of water is constantly increasing, placing a greater burden on the Maltese ecosystem. “Considering that the world’s temperature is constantly increasing, it is very important to be more aware of projects that protect and do not damage or threaten the environment”, stated the president.

During a visit to a water reservoir in Luqa, the president said that when mentioning sustainability, climate change, and the preservation of natural resources, the thought of the Knights of the Order of Saint John on water storage is an important source of inspiration for us all, including the introduction of the law that every building must have a well.

The president thanked the Water Services Corporation for the initiative to donate all the proceeds from the sale of this publication to the Malta Community Chest Fund (MCCF). “This is a noble thought that should serve as a model for other public and private entities that hold the MCCF close to their hearts”, said President Vella.

President Vella expressed the hope that the publication will not only serve as an important book for Maltese history and heritage, but also as a manual of how Malta has understood over the centuries to appreciate, preserve, and generate the main source without which life would not even be possible: water.