Malta in 'urgent need' of water policy

Malta urgently needs a water policy to invest more in the catchment of rainwater and the recycling of used water, according to climate change ambassador Michael Zammit Cutajar.

The policy's importance is placed in relief by international studies that predicted a 20 per cent reduction in rainfall over the next century in the Mediterranean region.

During a conference on the health effects of climate change, Mr Zammit Cutajar said Malta was highly vulnerable to water stress and called for a policy to be drawn up as soon as possible. The policy would protect Malta against the rise in the sea level, which could contaminate the aquifer, and the reduction in rainfall, he said.

Malta was too small to affect the global situation of climate change but would have to adapt to the situation because it would be affected, Mr Zammit Cutajar said.