Gozo to be first to reach EU water quality standards

Public Investments Minister Austin Gatt yesterday heaped praise on the Water Services Corporation for having reduced the government subsidy by Lm6 million in six years by cutting costs and improving efficiency. He also announced that a water polishing plant would be opened at Ta' Cenc shortly, enabling Gozo to become the first part of Malta where water quality would reach EU standards.

Speaking during the opening of the annual debate on the WSC's financial estimates, Dr Gatt said the corporation was one of a few government bodies with a good management structure where everyone knew his duties and was measured by results.

Dr Gatt said the government's subsidy to the WSC had dropped from Lm14 million at the time of the Labour government, to Lm8.4 million this year and it was the WSC's intention to continue to reduce this by Lm500,000 every year for the next four years.

In contrast to the Labour government, which had attempted to ease the corporation's financial ills by raising tariffs and imposing a sewerage tax, under the present government raising tariffs was a last resort. Over the past few years, real savings had been made on administration costs, better control on contractors and a cut in overtime costs through better utilisation of personnel and new work practices.

At the same time, water quality was being continually improved and would soon reach European standards. Distribution and production had also been improved.

Reacting to opposition interruptions that he was praising the WSC because it is headed by Michael Falzon, an MEP candidate, Dr Gatt said Mr Falzon deserved praise for his leadership and the results he and his board and management team had achieved. The opposition seemed to have forgotten what the situation was like under Labour, when water supply cuts were frequent and water had to be imported.

Continuing, Dr Gatt pointed out that in January the corporation also assumed responsibility for the sewerage system. This meant an increase of its workforce by 600, but as was the case in many other sectors, between 250-300 of these workers were considered surplus to needs.

Safety clothing had been introduced everywhere in the sewerage unit, new ventilation equipment had been bought, a procedures manual was being drafted and risk assessments were being made in all workplaces.

The biggest challenge in this sector was to change work practices, as had been the case with the rest of the Water Services Corporation. There also needed to be better business planning and a review of the work awarded to contractors.

Dr Gatt said the Water Services Corporation had five objectives for the coming years - to further reduce the government subsidy, to reduce water wastage, to ensure that the number of employees matched its needs, to raise water quality to EU standards and to ensure that all sewage was treated.

The WSC would continue working on the first objective by targeting a subsidy cut of Lm0.5 million per year through greater efficiency and better administration.

Water wastage - amount to Lm3m annually - would be reduced through better control of wastage, better metering, and an offensive against water theft. Meter reading would increasingly be made through electronic means, to eliminate mistakes. Leakages were being better monitored through telemetry links between reservoirs and RO plants. The WSC and Enemalta had also formed a joint committee which would tackle power and water theft.

As for the number of employees, it was estimated that the Water Services Corporation had between 400-500 surplus employees.

These workers had an option of working either for the corporation or government departments. Whereas it made little difference for the government where they were employed, it needed to be pointed out that their employment at the WSC affected the cost of water - and the principle was that tariffs should be calculated on the real cost of water.

While the corporation would continue to seek to employ these workers productively, the reality was that one should consider whether it made more sense to return them to government employ.

There was also the possibility of the WSC forming public-private partnerships in areas such as vehicle maintenance, meter reading, billing and the operation of reverse osmosis plants. But no decisions had been taken yet.

On the fourth objective - the achievement of European water quality standards, Dr Gatt said progress had been made and the target would be achieved soon. The Lm1.5 million polishing plant at Ta' Cenc in Gozo, which mixed and improved water from RO plants and boreholes, would be commissioned shortly and Gozo would thus be the first to have water of European quality standards. A second polishing plant would be built in Malta.

Dr Gatt said three plants would be set up to treat sewage for production of second class water or disposal at sea.

The first plant would be built at Mgarr ix-Xini in Gozo. It would cost Lm3 million and be operational next year. Half the costs would be borne by the EU.

In Malta, plants would be built at Ic-Cumnija near Mellieha and Wied Ghammieq. The first, costing Lm3.4 million, would be financed through the Italo-Maltese financial protocol and would be completed in 2006.

The one at Wied Ghammieq would cost Lm27 million, as a main pipeline would be replaced.

This plant would be completed in 2007.

Dr Gatt said he did not wish to give the impression that all was perfect at the WSC. The corporation needed to work more closely with other government entities and it needed to improve its client relations, for example.

But all in all, the Water Services Corporation deserved to be praised for its results.

Nationalist MP David Agius praised the WSC for its performance. The situation was a far cry from the water cuts of a few years ago.

He insisted, however, that the corporation should insist on better quality work by its contractors, particularly with regard to road reinstatement, even if some progress had been made.

Indeed, there should be closer work coordination between the WSC and other bodies.

Mr Agius welcomed studies on the possibility of local councils assuming responsibility for underground reservoirs.

He also referred to illegal extraction of groundwater, and said this was seriously depleting the water table.

The regulator should take up this issue to ensure that such illegal practices were stopped.

Mr Agius also augured that more progress would be made to reduce water losses, through better leakage control and action against theft. Repairs needed to be handled faster and the distribution system maintained to avoid leakages in the first place.

Mr Agius also called for improvements to the billing system so that bills could be issued regularly.