Winning water savings

I thank Chris Pollard (Saving Water, January 21) for drawing my attention to the fact that the lower mains water tariff applies for the first 33 units per person per annum and not 11 units as I had assumed in my calculations (How To Make Every Drop Count, January 14).

Admittedly, if the correct figure is used the monetary savings from a domestic rainwater recycling system are considerably reduced. The monetary savings to be made from the re-use of rainwater are especially low for households consuming less than 90 litres per person per day - the threshold up to which mains water is (heavily) subsidised. In fact, in Malta mains water is charged at 16c5 per 1,000 litres for the first 33,000 litres of water per person every year and then jumps to Lm1.10 every 1,000 litres of water consumed beyond this threshold. These tariffs do not include the surcharge.

It is no state secret that the government subsidises domestic water consumption to the tune of millions of liri every year. If the government were to incentivise the re-use of rainwater in households (as is done for solar water heaters), it would be saving money through the reduced annual subsidy to WSC and electricity required for water production and also mitigating against flooding. It's a win-win situation whichever way you look at it.