Integrated water resources management - a multidisciplinary approach

On its tenth anniversary, the Institute of Water Technology (IWT) organised an international conference on the multidisciplinary approach to integrated water resources management. It could not have celebrated its anniversary better.

Experts from foreign and local institutions, together with officials from the Water Services Corporation (WSC), came together to discuss the various aspects of the water industry and the various disciplines needed to resolve some of the related problems.

The IWT was set up by the WSC to help it achieve its mission of providing in a sustainable way one of the Malta' most valued resource - that is water. The Institute is fully owned by the corporation but it operates as a separate entity with a clear mandate to conduct investigations, consultancy, education and training.

The Institute's ambitious task was clearly reflected in the broadness and comprehensiveness of the conference programme. Themes that were discussed ranged from management practices, human resources development and finance to economics, engineering and the environment.

Many countries in the Mediterranean region, especially those in the southern rim, have for many years had to face the stark reality of water scarcity and often had to endure the consequences of management - by-crisis approaches to resolve immediate water problems. Malta, a small island state in the middle of the Mediterranean, with scant natural water resources, represents a typical example where overcoming recurring droughts is of national importance.

Malta's smallness, absence of national resources, dry climatic conditions, extremely high population density and rapid economic development incorporating mass tourism and a thriving manufacturing industry presented a formidable fora for this conference.

Ernest Azzopardi, the IWT director, introduced the conference with an extensive overview of the local scene. His international comparisons related to groundwater resources in Malta was a fitting opening with indicators to other national Mediterranean basins from the Gaza Strip to Bosnia - revealing Malta as having the lowest water resources per capita.

The perched aquifer is under constant threat from contamination by pollutants and nitrates used in irrigation. On the other hand, the mean sea level is susceptible to seawater intrusion since this major resource is exposed to unregulated abstraction.

Production from the reverse osmosis plant represents a partial solution to meet a reliable demand at an expensive price of approximately $1 per cubic metre of water and to an environmental cost of 10 tons of fuel to produce 4,500 cubic metres of water. This production accounts to over half the persistent local demand arising from economic development, higher standard of living, demographic trends, mass tourism, urbanization and inadequate tariff system.

The IWT director stressed that sustainability can only be achieved through an integrated approach to water resources management and development. He critically examined the WSC's supply - demand approach and its three-pronged strategy - (a) public awareness and education (b) development and management of distribution system network (c) a suitable tariff regime. His recommendations for managing water resources included scope for further reduction in production and increase better use of waste water. He emphasised the need to re-dimensioning the water problem.

By coincidence, the corporation's CEO Anthony Rizzo delivered his presentation just one year after taking up this challenging position. "Task Ahead: Future Options for the WSC" was an opportune theme chosen by the CEO - marked with a surprising difference. His metaphorical technique gripped the audience with his fable and fiction approach - but real at the same time.

The CEO's dream was set in a forest with elephants fighting for survival in transporting logs. The elephants' ordeal made them realise that sustainability is the link between the workforce and corporate responsibility towards better productivity. The elephants' community developed their own resource management with a new type of leadership offering innovation with a true meaning of sustainability. "If you can dream it - you can do it!" concluded the CEO to the audience.

Antoinette Caruana, HR general manager at Playmobil, sounded very upbeat with her notion of HR development, which was enriched by the professional exchanges that she experienced with the WSC management during the course of the conference. "Getting the measure of human capital" was the key theme that she optimistically could apply to an organisation like the WSC with its richness in human resources. The WSC could easily turn Human Resources Management (HRM) into a deliverable strategy.

Her advice focused on emerging themes incorporating barriers to HRM and critical issues, methodology for measuring human capital and the impact of the human resources function to corporate performance.

The Coastal Area Management Project Malta (CAMP Malta) offered another dimension to the conference theme through the contribution of Christine Tanti, National Project Administrator. She outlined the industrial and recreational activities are adding pressure to the coastal areas. She singled out as a good example the contribution of the IWT towards the project

This project deals with a sustainable coastal management programme, incorporating an integrated water resource management plan for the North West of Malta and ways in conserving the marine area. The strategy and action plan were clearly spelled out by Ms Tanti consisting in the integration of recommendations; incorporation of administrative and operational structures and the representation of the main stakeholders.

"The Problem - Exploitation of groundwater in excess of the natural recharge has resulted in gradual salinisation". This hard-hitting fact launched the presentation of Ing. Paul Micallef, manager, research & development, at the Institute of Water Technology. His statement was supported with an illustration of the Maltese Islands dotted with borehole markings.

The objective is to reduce and improve ground water. Two options lie ahead, said Ing. Micallef, namely to (i) reduce private and public extraction in order to arrest quality deterioration and (ii) to increase recharge even artificially through injection, seepage and irrigation. Then he went on deliver his presentation on "Aspects and Possibilities of Artificial Groundwater Recharge Using Sewage Affluent in Malta"illustrated with impressive charts of the approximate water balance in Malta.

Wastewater can be considered as a vital resource if treated and recycled safely. Here he mentioned the production capacity of the four treatment plants at Ras il-Hobz in Gozo and Ic-Cumnija, Wied Ghammieq and Sant'Antnin in Malta. The benefits consist in creating additional water resources whilst protecting and preserving the environment.

The multiple options for reuse are wide-ranging - from agricultural irrigation to aquaculture, groundwater recharge, industrial use, swimming pools, sprinkling parks, gardens, golf courses and football pitches. There are also economic considerations related to treatment costs, reuse costs and operation and maintenance. The final message by Ing. Micallef emphasized the social acceptability issue of the "fear of the unknown and cultural bias due to lack of knowledge".

Professor Atef Hamdy, director, research CIHEAM, Italy, explained that his organisation is involved with developing water resources in Mediterranean countries. In his encouraging comment he said that "his institute is implementing experiences gained in Malta in view of the perfect new technological programme. The IWT is another school with very efficient advanced courses which were held recently for Mediterranean engineers to discuss and increase cooperation in all activities."

Another distinguished academic, with a long-standing relationship with the IWT, Professor Klaus Genthner from the University of Bremen, stated that he was impressed with the awareness of desalination practices in Malta. "A lot more than I have experienced in the Middle East and North Africa" he added. According to this technical expert in desalination technology experienced engineers in this field are joining other specialists involved in environmental impact and sustainability.

"The IWT is playing an important role in water education" stated Professor Carsten Blom Ruud, Dean of the Faculty of Education, Hibu, Norway. This country is the main co-ordinating partner with Malta in the Socrates Comenius II project in water conservation targeted for primary and upper secondary pupils up to university students.

The other partner countries are Denmark, Greece and Faroe Islands. This project will be concluded next year with a workshop for children in Norway. The co-ordination for Maltese partner in the Water Wisdom Project is provided by the IWT.

Stefan Schembri, a Junior College lecturer in marketing, one of the 120 participants of this three-day conference, held in mid-January, commented: "This conference was very well organised covering all the areas one is expected to tackle when dealing with such an important issue. Although the conference was surely an excellent public relations exercise it was much more than that. In fact the main message that was communicated was that the corporation is not only aware of its social responsibility but also committed to safeguard and make available this scarce resource, which many of us so often taken for granted.

"It seems that the WSC is well equipped to meet the challenges of the future. It is not only investing in technology but also in its people and is establishing long-term profitable relationships with various publics interested in this sector."

Professor Joseph Bonnici, Minister for Economic Services told the conference: "The evident success of this conference is a credit to the organisors and the thirty eight contributors through their papers and presentations. I was impressed by the standards achieved and recommend to the IWT to organise similar conferences in the future."

No fewer than 24 managers and employees from the WSC presented their conference themes on a range of organisation-related topics, from "Learning a Key Element in the Process of Change" to "Subsidising the Water Supply in Malta". Other distinguished participants in this three-day conference included Brian White, quality assurance assessor, Yarsley, UK; Professor Patrick Schembri and Dr Joseph Cilia from the University of Malta, and Dr Jure Margeta from Split University, Croatia.

A special mention goes to the schoolchildren of Mqabba Primary School who performed a trilogy of mime, poetry recital and chorus singing on the theme "Preserving the Environment" to a standing ovation from the audience. Popular singer Chiara must also be congratulated on her excellent singing performance which enchanted the audience with a song on water conservation.

Mr Mercieca is head of Public Relations at the WSC