Our water resource is poor and declining in both quantity and quality. Clear political and economic decisions can no longer be postponed. Consensus must be reached on what price to charge for a litre of groundwater if sustainable management is to turn the present water crisis around.

Put a growing population on a small island shot through with do-it-yourself boreholes, pumping unmetered water at an unknown but constant rate, and you have a sure formula for collapse sooner or later. We are heading for disaster if we choose to do nothing about it.

We are damaging our groundwater resource beyond repair. The Mgarr-Wardija perched aquifer and the Mean Sea Level aquifers of both Malta and Gozo are already depleted.

Malta is one of the worst countries in the world for water scarcity. The exact number of boreholes is not known but runs into thousands. In recent years there has been a large increase in unlicensed, unmonitored boreholes for irrigation, commercial use or swimming pools. This is way beyond what our water resource can sustain.

The sea level in the Mediterranean is rising as a result of climate change. When the bottom of existing boreholes falls beneath sea level the upcoming of seawater into our fragile fresh water lens will put our potable water supply at severe risk. This is already beginning to happen as the intrusion of seawater into the aquifer is accelerated by over-extraction of groundwater from boreholes.

At a recent talk on the water crisis, organised by the Geographical Society, geologist Gordon Knox told his audience that within a decade or so the water in Malta's boreholes will become undrinkable if nothing is done.

"The underground main reservoir is due for a fall. In less than ten years the main aquifer may be so salinated or polluted it is no longer usable. If it goes then the only alternative would be reverse osmosis and water production would be very much more expensive," Dr Knox warns. Total dependence on reverse osmosis could increase electricity needs to power RO plants to a peak of 25 per cent of all our electricity production and intensify greenhouse emissions.

Dr Knox who has studied data on the Maltese aquifers based his projections partly on data provided by the Water Services Corporation (WSC) and the Malta Resources Authority (MRA). He commends the principle of keeping the social element of low price for low use but believes that anything above should be subject to "punitive" prices.

A draft MRA water policy for the Maltese Islands, which has been drawn up pending approval for three years, spelt out that the sea level aquifer in both Malta and Gozo was at severe risk of being wiped out. It is really only a matter of time.

At an APS Bank seminar Friday week Malta was recognised as "an extreme case" of unsustainability. Every six years MRA updates its assessment of the water resource. It was already clear at the time of the first assessment, six years ago, that the aquifer is in crisis but no effective measures had been put in place during all that time.

Immediate measures

Among the many options put forward for Malta by United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) experts, the priority one is the soonest possible regulation of groundwater users who are damaging the sea-level aquifer. The authorities are urged to identify deep boreholes and take immediate steps to stop seawater contaminating the aquifer by reducing illegal extraction. A second essential step is the introduction of tariffs and other instruments in order to reduce groundwater use to sustainable levels.

The FAO assessment also notes the lack of an adequate distribution network for second-class water and praises the WSC for reducing leakages from pipes. Much of the water lost from pipes seeps through the rock to recharge the aquifer. This proves an expensive way of topping up the supply.

A cheaper option would be recharge by treated sewage effluent. MRA promises that 15 to 20 million cubic metres of treated wastewater should be on-stream by 2010. The quality would first have to be assured for health reasons before this could be used for aquifer recharge.

The Malta Resources Authority is to license the WSC to pump water from its own boreholes. The licensing agreement would require the corporation to develop a comprehensive management plan for its remaining productive boreholes (131), pumping stations (13), three reverse osmosis plants and a number of reservoirs holding enough to supply the population for just three days.

Salting of the aquifer

Permissible salt levels in drinking water is a borderline case for Malta. While it can be claimed that salt is "naturally occurring" in the main aquifers close to sea level, human activity has quickened the rate at which seawater enters the aquifer to replace freshwater pumped out through thousands of boreholes.

In coastal environments it is natural to have saline intrusion although in Malta's case this appears to be mainly due to over-abstraction. Phillipe Quevauviller of DG Environment, Water and Marine Unit at the EU Commission, pointed out that achieving good status for ground water means compliance with standards including "no saline or other intrusions due to human activity".

Europe aims to secure safe drinking water for all its citizens and provide a reliable water supply. In cases like Malta where water scarcity is a problem the FAO advocates responsible use, protection of water-dependent environments and a sustainable cost recovery system where the user pays. Any tariffs must take into account environmental and resource costs and be linked to a system of extended impact assessment.

FAO expert Jean Marc Faures speaking on water use and policy implications said: "There are still many who do not understand the danger of non-sustainable use of the water resource on the island. Once your fresh water lens is gone there is no return - it would take hundreds of years to recreate." Immediate regulation in the areas most threatened is strongly advised.

Strict control on saline water disposal must be introduced in the form of a ban on dumping brine from small reverse osmosis plants into the drainage system. The use of seawater in dual plumbing systems by hotels must also be stopped as these two practices could render treated sewage effluent unsuitable even for irrigation purposes if these practices continue.

John Mangion, of the MRA Water Directorate, spoke of the current drought and climate change. "We will need to adapt and improve our preparedness for extreme events," he said.

Most of our groundwater bodies, the aquifers, are at risk of not achieving the objectives of the Water Framework Directive. Mr Mangion described water resources management as a balancing act between supply and demand. It is possible that in some of the smaller ground water bodies there is still a balance but the mean sea level aquifer of both Malta and Gozo is in deficit, extracting more than the annual recharge by rainfall.

"All forms of abuse have to be dealt with very decisively," he said in a reference to the legal gaps where abstraction of water from boreholes was concerned. A rational financial strategy would see the reduction of subsidies from government. Harmonising water policy in different sectors could be achieved through partnerships and networks. Water is a basic human requirement but at the same time it cannot be considered a free good.

"Without proper policies institutions cannot function. Public involvement is the key to successfully implementing a national water policy." While the MRA does promote the use of treated sewage effluent the infrastructure for this is not yet in place.

No to RO

Our groundwater supply is boosted in quality by blending with very pure water produced at great cost by reverse osmosis (RO). The price to the consumer of RO water is currently heavily subsidised. The WSC considers it unsustainable to continue increasing water production by reverse osmosis. Paula Grech Bonnici, a WSC laboratory manager, gave a figure of 57 per cent for water produced by RO plants.

If we continue along the path of no action we may be forced to build more costly RO plants, relying totally on imported fuel, making our main water supply vulnerable to international conflicts. Collecting, treating and storing stormwater for reuse could help solve the water problem to an extent but efforts should be urgently directed into regulation of existing uses.

The Water Framework Directive also deals with surface and marine waters. Environment Protection Officer Sarah Debono from MEPA's Nature Protection Unit spoke on ecological protection of wetlands fed by rainfall and the aquifers.

Better control of pesticides and proper permitting of farms not covered by the Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control regulations (that is the majority of farms) are among measures to be considered.

Speaking on the nitrates directive, Ramona Scerri, also from MEPA's environment directorate, explained that the reduction and prevention of nitrate pollution from agricultural sources is best applied through management of those farming activities near aquifers which are most susceptible to farm run-off.

Where directives overlap the more stringent one would apply. Nitrates directive measures which go beyond the WFD still need to be put in place in Malta. It is evident from monitoring what needs to be done. If animal herd numbers keep going up instead of down the Maltese government may find the nitrates directive impossible to meet.

Groundwater pirates

Things have changed since the 1970s, when there were only a few hundred registered boreholes. More efficient drilling equipment, mobile generators and the low fees charged by pirate drilling outfits have encouraged over-pumping of groundwater. Joseph Borg, APS consultant, said that political inertia had led to the state we are in today.

Public owned reservoirs built by the Knights lie idle. Some parish churches have large reservoirs that could be used. A management plan should be put in place to see who is using this water and for what purpose. Malta should look beyond the established European institutions to others who have been facing water shortage problems for many years. Arid countries such as Syria could offer their experience on producing drought tolerant species.

The EU has set a water pricing policy target date to be met by 2010. The level of pricing has got to be determined by each member state, taking into account social and economic considerations. The Maltese authorities must get a move on and consult farmers regarding the distribution network.

In reply to the question "What are farmers prepared to pay for water?" there are simply further questions "What are consumers, middle men, producer organisations prepared to pay?" If we are not accounting properly for water we are extracting the price is artificial.

Is there a future at all for agriculture in Malta? Some economists have suggested the Singapore model which would do away with agriculture, turn our landscapes over to buildings, import all our food, and oil to power RO plants. But who would want to visit Malta then?

Malta should also consider managing water issues in the context of cross compliance under the Common Agricultural Policy. The European Commission puts much emphasis on stakeholder participation and more must be done in this regard.

We have to find the best possible compromise with the least possible hardship to the social and economic sectors. If we limit the discussion to who will pay then we will not get very far. The debate must be opened to the community to decide how to solve these problems.

"If you are concerned about the water crisis in Malta go to your MEP and let them raise the issue in Brussels" was the final comment from DG Environment.

Water consultant Marco Cremona praised the FAO document* for bringing information to the Maltese which would not normally be available. Even registered boreholes are operating without a licence. "This is a criminal activity," he said, "and should be treated as such"

Malta Water Resources Review 2006

Action now to sustain our natural water supply

• Register all boreholes and introduce tariffs;

• License bowsers and impose a charge;

• Establish a groundwater strategic reserve;

• Put a price on treated sewage effluent;

• Increase use of cisterns;

• Incentives for rainwater harvesting

Malta Water Resources Review - FAO 2006