Miriam Dalli - the Minister for the Environment, Energy and Public Cleanliness - told Parliament on Wednesday that thanks to "successful implementation," the Water Services Corporation (WSC) will be increasing the number of solar farm projects being undertaken by the country, up to a total of 14 projects.

Minister Dalli said that the WSC is therefore adding six more solar farm projects to the country's works in the renewable energy sector. Prior to this announcement, there were eight planned solar farm projects, she said.

Dalli shared that more details on this heightened commitment to offshore solar farms shall be announced in the near future.

During her speech on the WSC's financial estimates for 2025, Minister Dalli said that the entity generates more clean energy than any other in the country; she described that throughout 2024, it generated 5.84GWh, which is equivalent to the consumption of around 2,000 families.

Dalli added that the Corporation "broke another record" after launching the first local green bond. This green bond raised "significant investment" through the creation of transparent, sustainable financing in the public sector, she stated. Green bonds are bonds that have been issued to finance a specific, sustainable (hence, green) purpose, i.e., are used to finance environmentally conscious projects.

The Minister for the Environment remarked that there is no better example than this to illustrate that economic and sustainable aspects are two sides of the same coin, thus dismissing the conception that they do cannot go hand-in-hand.

Minister Dalli said that €25 million have been invested in green bonds so far and that over 29% of all this money has already been allocated to concrete projects, such as improving the operation of the Ta' Barkat plant, enhancing intelligent Enterprise Resource Planning systems, and pushing for network improvements to directly promote our sustainability.

She continued that whoever is interested in observing where funds placed in these green bonds are going can do so through a "first-of-its-kind portal."

€3 million wastewater management project announced for Wied iż-Żurrieq

The former Labour Party MEP announced that the WSC has completed a masterplan for a €3 million project in Wied iż-Żurrieq that will sustainably address the management of wastewater in this "sensitive tourist and environmental area." While discussing this "major infrastructure project," Dalli mentioned that due to the area's "extensive distance," several interventions must still be carried out.

This project is currently at the approval stage within the Planning Authority. She described that the WSC is committed to this project in order to strengthen the water infrastructure in the locality. She said that at the moment, people in the area still make use of private cesspits, "as it always has"; this was the motivation to fund this project, she implied.

"It will not be a quick project, but it will be a project that will be done once and well," Dalli said.

She described wastewater management to be a public health issue where "we have made great strides," though there is still room for more.

Capital investment up 74%, around €64 million allocated to related projects

During her speech, the Minister stated that capital investment increased by 74% in 2024 over the previous year, and that over €63.9 million was allocated to projects within this sector, namely in the rehabilitation of reservoirs, modern infrastructure, expanding upon reverse osmosis plants, and introducing new technologies.

Future investments will expand the country's treatment capacity, see improvements in distribution and wastewater networks, and increase New Water production, amongst others.

Minister Dalli shared that over this past year, the WSC enjoyed a net profit increase of 16.6% and an increase of revenue amounting to €12.5 million. Additionally, revenues from water sales and ancillary services have exceeded €100 million, increasing by 11%.

She said that every euro being saved on operations is invested to improve these systems or to facilitate new investments. This past year, a reduction of almost 47% in commercial debt was observed, according to Minister Dalli.

Dalli stated that while profits have increased, consumers are being provided a better service at the same price; it is intended for this approach to continue being heeded, she added. Last year also marked the first time that the allocated capital budget was fully exhausted.

In 2024, Geographic Information Systems were developed and expanded to now cover over 3,400 kilometres of networks for drinking water, recycled water, and sewage. These systems, known as GIS, are real-time monitoring tools that indicate where preventative maintenance is required. Over three quarters of the country's network are now integrated with GIS, Dalli shared.

She expressed that in 2024, Malta recorded a top score on the Infrastructure Leakage Index (1.75), putting the country amongst the top countries in the world in ensuring that available water arrives at people's households on demand.

Dalli also stated that Gozo is at the centre of future investment within the water sector.

'AI systems have helped us to provide the best tap water we've ever had'

Minister Miriam Dalli noted that investments in artificial intelligence were central in helping authorities provide people on the Maltese islands with "the best tap water this country has ever had." In this regard, she described that local tap water is not only safe to drink, but work has recently been done to improve its taste.

She stated that the WSC is looking to invest more heavily in AI. Last year, AI-based algorithms were developed and use to improve both the production and quality of water available, Dalli said.

"These advanced systems are allowing for better decision-making on how to use water from different sources such as from the water table and that produced by reverse osmosis," she commented.

Priorities for 2025

Minister Dalli shared that for this year, the Corporation's priorities lie in enlarging the desalination capacity in Pembroke and Ċirkewwa, strengthening the automated storage facility in Bulebel, reducing the extraction of groundwater, and preparing for the EU's Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive.

They are also working for the WSC to become a net-zero water utility.