Bowsers carrying groundwater will be required to carry tracking equipment, in terms of new regulations being issued by the Malta Resources Authority (MRA).
Resources Minister George Pullicino said all groundwater bowsers will have to be registered with the MRA for licensing purposes by the end of this month. Such bowsers will be marked and cannot be used for anything other than to carry groundwater.
He said that the measures were the latest step in a series of actions to track down and stop the unlawful extraction of groundwater.
As part of those measures, the regisration of boreholes became mandatory last year.
Mr Pullicino said the water bowsers will also be required to have a load cell. In this way, the authorities would know where the bowers are being loaded with water, where the water is delivered, and the volumes involved. They would also know if the groundwater is being used for agriculture or for commercial purposes.
The minister explained that these requirements would discourage unlawful groundwater extraction.
He said that 8,500 boreholes were currently registered. It was estimated that 34 million cubic metres of groundwater were being extracted every year, when the limit should be of not more than 23 million cubic metres, in order to enable the water table to replenish itself.
Another step, to be taken next year, would be for the metering of the water extracted from the boreholes.
The application form for the registration of the bowsers can be downloaded from the website of the Malta Resources Authroity.
See also
http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20090814/local/new-amnesty-offered-for-illegal-boreholes