Water resources to halve in 50 years time

A study just published by the European Commission predicts acute water shortages in southern Europe, including Malta.

The study warns that if no concrete water saving measures are taken and current climate change effects continue, Malta could end up with 50 per cent less water resources by 2070.

The study shows that at present Malta has the lowest available water resources per capita in the EU, below 100 cubic metres per capita, while 30 per cent of groundwater bodies are at risk as a result of over exploitation of resources.

"If this tendency continues, water resources in Malta will halve by 2070", the study says.

It puts Malta in the high-risk water categories among member states, together with other southern European member states or regions such as the Sicily, Puglia, Calabria, Campagnia and Sardinia in Italy, some regions in Spain on the Mediterranean coast, Cyprus and Greece.

In order to mitigate this problem, the Commission is suggesting a number of initiatives to be taken by member states, particularly those that will be hardest hit. These include the promotion of improved waste-water reuse, which according to the study could replace 26 per cent of Malta's future water abstractions.

Overall, the report shows that Europe is, by and large, considered to have adequate water resources, but points out that water scarcity and droughts are increasingly becoming common.

"Droughts relate to natural conditions such as rainfall deficiency. Over the past 30 years droughts have dramatically increased in number and intensity in the EU. The cost to the European economy over the period was at least €100 billion. In 2003, one of the most widespread droughts affected over 100 million people and about a third of the EU land area costing about €8.7 billion," the report notes.

The Commission has identified an initial set of policy options to be taken at European and national levels to address water scarcity and droughts and mitigate their impacts within the Union. The set of proposed policies on water aims to move the EU towards a water-efficient and water saving economy.

Among its proposals, the EU is suggesting better water pricing and notes that Malta has so far no water price policy.

"At the heart of the policy options is the need to put the right price on water. The 'user pays' principle needs to become the rule regardless of where the water is taken from. Efforts to introduce compulsory metering programmes are thus essential. Water savings and water efficiency need to be promoted given that there is a tremendous potential for water savings in the European Union."

While it is estimated that about 20 per cent of the water available is wasted, recent data indicate that it could go up to as much as 40 per cent. Therefore, substantial changes must be made on how water is channelled to users and how it is used. It is easy, for example, to promote the installation of water-saving devices on taps, shower heads, and toilets.

On a larger scale, a proper allocation of water use between economic sectors needs to be considered.