Water bowsers to carry tracking equipment

Andrew Gatt

Nov 18th 2009, 16:01

This move. albeit a good one, is about 10 years too late. Where has the Hon Resources Minister been all this time? Asleep under a rock while our resources were being pumped dry??

K.Bonello

Nov 18th 2009, 15:26

you people dont look at the bright side of things ? This is a positive thing!

Marco Cremona

Nov 18th 2009, 10:41

Continued...

To make matters worse we have spoilt the opportunity to recover 20 million cubic metres of water from treated sewage effluent, by choosing inappropriate technology and placing our treatment plants where the water is not required. Even if we had to re-invest in making the effluent useable, the transportation cost will be prohibitive.

Our next crisis will be a water crisis, and it will determine whether Malta remains a place to live in or not.

Even with all good intentions, I believe that the situation is largely irreversible. When we installed our first RO plant in 1982, our water problems have 'gone under the radar'. There has not been any investment in sustainable water management (rainwater reservoirs, sewage treatment plants designed for water recovery, water recycling plants in industry, etc.) in the last 30 years. We are now about to start paying the consequences.

Water was/is not 'sexy' for politicians; it is easy to hide and ignore the problems with our water resources - becuase they are underground and invisible.

Marco Cremona

Nov 18th 2009, 10:35

With the new tariffs, town water today costs Euro 2/m3; BUT 1) we still get half of our tap water from groundwater, which will not be around in 20 years time - which means we have to double RO output 2) WSC still benefits from heavy consumer (i.e. subsidised) tariffs for the electricity it consumes 3) our water tariffs do not reflect the 'resource cost' i.e. the cost of over-exploiting the aquifer, a requirement by the EU 4) two-thirds of our economy still uses groundwater as its main water source. Alternatives (RO?) will be required to make good for the diminishing resource 5) Malta is the only country in the EU that does not charge a sewerage tariff. We still have to build the Malta South treatment plant which will cost millions to build and operate so the sewerage tariff will result in a hefty price increase in the water tariffs 6) climate change will result in reduced annual rainfall which will result in a reduction in the safe extrcation rate of our aquifers

Marco Cremona

Nov 18th 2009, 10:34

@Adrian Wirth

I would rather you put your questions to the authorities concerned, i.e.the Malta Resources Authority, as I am just an interested person.

What is the cost of desalinated water? The million dollar question. For a number of years the official figure was LM 0.22/m3 until I got to know that this figure does not include 1) cost of amortisation and depreciation of the plant (some membranes are 20 years old); 2)WSC benefits from a subsidised rate for electricity consumed and 3)WSC now uses EU funds to purchase its replacement membranes and other equipment i.e. it only pays for part of the cost. These funds are only available till 2013.

At some stage another figure was being quoted, this time at LM 0.55/m3 - which is the cost of mains water i.e. producing a blend of RO and groundwater, and including all losses. Given that WSC gets its groundwater for free, and that the boreholes and galleries have long been amortised, and there are only some pumping costs and chlorine costs associated with getting groundwater to the consumer, this higher-cost-than-RO reveals that there are huge inefficiencies within WSC's operations, i.e. salaries, technical losses and unaccounted for losses, etc.

continued.....

Mark Galea

Nov 18th 2009, 09:38

@Pete Bailey
I am a Gozitan and please DO NOT MAKE ME LAUGH ...

Pete Bailey

Nov 17th 2009, 13:55

@JohnAbela@ we are foreign residents in Gozo, but don't forget pal, we buy our water for our rather large swimming pool so its not FREE. and we also pay a normal licence, so where ever did u get the idea that we fill our pools for niks or buckshee? besides we can afoord it, if i couldn't afford to pay for these luxuries i wouldn't come over to your country to retire.
Another moaner.

John Abela

Nov 17th 2009, 05:30

The rich pump and fill up their swimming pools from stolen water from these boreholes and we pay for the tariffs hehe another case of burden sharing everything is fair in the kingdom of malta ..we ALL know the saying in malta ...min....mexa. No wonder everyone wants a piece of the pie.

John Micallef

Nov 16th 2009, 21:24

Hope this is not a direct order for Datatrack as well. As to date no tender was published.

Also hope this is compliant with the data protection act.

How it can be defined what was the bowser doing?? Will they have a load & unload sensors?? Will this be bridged to Vat their income?? Just tracking a route is useless!!


If this is not going to be done on holistic basis, better do nothing!!

Albert Bezzina

Nov 16th 2009, 21:10

We are hanging ourselves with our own umbilical chord. Sustainability is just a buzz word. Agriculture, including viticulture is unsustainable. Industry, including tourism, has been subsidized with low cost ground water making the slim competative margin artificial, unsustainable and economically catastrophic when the wells become unusable. Unless a massive water catchment program is implimented as part of the long awaited storm water managment plan together with extraction restriction, our whole life will be unsustainable within 30 years. €80million is probably just the right amount to impliment a decent rain water managment infrastructure.

George Debono

Nov 16th 2009, 20:33

Besides the problem of over-plundering our aquifer there is the question of replacement of the water from rainfall. As we cover more and more of Malta's surface with Asphalt and ever more buildings - so less water penetrates down into the aquifer and runs uselessly to sea. Another good reason for slowing the mad rush to cover Malta in apartment blocks and real estate, But then, we'll never learn…. G

M Theuma

Nov 16th 2009, 20:26

An Australian friend of mine draws water from a nearby river through a metered pumphouse for agricultural purposes. The meter is solar powered and sends information via satellite to the water control company. The same should be done here at known water extraction points. Having a device attached to the bowser will only solve part of the problem as other forms of extraction could be used instead of the bowser's own pump. Also can anyone tell me if the bowsers that draw water from Chadwick lakes are legal or not?

Adrian Wirth

Nov 16th 2009, 20:17

Could Marco Cremona tell us - if he knows - what is the true all in amortised cost of producing one cubic metre of desalinated potable water ? Is it true that even with the published government subsidy included that full cost recovery is never achieved? Given that all utility subsidies have to be removed under EU legislation within months, it seems logical - assuming the above is correct - that the cost of water to consumers shall have to be raised significantly above the rates currently being indicated by both government and the utility provider.

M Caruana

Nov 16th 2009, 20:15

Based on certain comments hereunder, should we distinguish between borehole users? Is it right to charge farmers who use borehole water to irrigate crops? Is it right that exists concrete batching plants which have more than 50 boreholes? Is it right that most of the hotels use precious borehole water just to be used in bathrooms? While, I must stress that borehole water is no property of no one, it is like the air we breath.

John Inguanez

Nov 16th 2009, 18:35

One question: will the borehole owners, pay government for the water they extract? That is the one million euro question!!

Charles Micallef

Nov 16th 2009, 18:20

Action badly needed, The blatant abuse of this natural resource has to stop! Well done Minister Pullicino and all concerned............!

ct busuttil

Nov 16th 2009, 18:08

Hmmm. Interesting. I always wondered about the capacity of the source which supplies a bowser that regularly appears about three times a day (and sometimes at night) to serve a hotel here in Sliema.

Marco Cremona

Nov 16th 2009, 18:01

I congratulate Minister George Pullicino for taking concrete action. Even if it does not result in a decrease in groundwater-extraction, this measure will provide data which may give an indication of what water is being transported, where and how. However, this measure, on its own WILL NOT : 1) give us a better idea of how much water is being extracted from the aquifers. This will only be known once meters are installed on each and every borehole, with proper enforcement (i.e.random and surprise inspections) and strict penalities for those found to have bypassed the meter and those whose borehole is not registered. 2) discourage a reduction in the rate of pumping out of groundwater. This will only happen once government introduces a tariff on borehole water -based on consumption. In conclusion, I welcome the actions being taken for the protection of our precious water reserves - especially in view of the fact that our aquifers are close to becoming useless within 15-20 years time. Most people think that we get most of our water from RO plants. Fact is that we still get MORE than 65% of our water from our aquifers. Imagine life without groundwater!!

E. Azzopardi

Nov 16th 2009, 17:39

Better late than never. Where have we been all these years? Are they going to pay for this water as this does not belong to them but to the country? Is the government going to oblige them to fix water meters to see how much water they are pumping? This is causing a lot of harm to the water table. Why do we have to be so complacent?

c.camilleri

Nov 16th 2009, 17:33

This Govt does everything except hit the nail on the head. Law enforcement. Since many of the enforcement measures were taken away from the police things have gone from bad to worst.

Raymond Cutajar

Nov 16th 2009, 17:18

Ten years ago Malta introduced the VRT. Cars which carry such an obviouse tracker which loudly shouts '' I got a false pass VRT and still not even a policeman bothers to investigates !! This has been asked at a rather elevated level with open mouths unable to answer literally .Unless proper framework and information as to why there is so much harm in all this abuse the plan is already in motion to go round the corner ----George ask the ADT --VRT section how to treat Joe public when questions start being asked

J. Schembri

Nov 16th 2009, 17:14

Good move Mr Pullicino .Why not have meters installed to every borehole.Its not the bowsers only which are extracting groundwater, there are also hotels , soft drinks companies , and concrete batching plants just to mention a few.

DVella

Nov 16th 2009, 16:48

Good move indeed George . . . now I REALLY hope it is backed up with appropriately stiff penalties for offenders . . . .

Steve Muscat

Nov 16th 2009, 16:31

Good move, however we need to see the initiative ENFORCED - this is where several other good ideas have fallen down. (Bus emission reporting? litter fines?)

What is to stop me having a bowser without the tracker? Even if bowsers are effectively monitored, Maltese cunning will quickly see the use of large containers in pick up trucks. Surely the MRA cannot police 8,500 boreholes? And what about all the boreholes that lie on private property and have not been reported?

Sadly this seems to be a lost cause.

G Micallef

Nov 16th 2009, 16:31

It is about time. Action should have been taken a long time ago and we would not have the problem we are facing now. I would point out that a high percentage of our energy consumption is used for our reverse osmosis plants. It would havebeen a win-win situation. Shame on all the Ministers who were responsible for this sector.

Theresa Calleja

Nov 16th 2009, 16:10

Much needed and much appreciated... May more regulations to preserve our water table be introduced...

P Sciberras

Nov 16th 2009, 15:37

This is a very positive move regarding this subject.The point now is that the tracking instrument is visible to be seen on every bowser,so people can see at a glance that any water bowser on the road is registered.

James Grech

Nov 16th 2009, 15:27

Why not compliment these steps with that of closing down some of these bore holes? Why is there a need for such exaggeratedly large number?