Water meters will be installed on boreholes in the coming year as part of the government's drive to control ground water extraction, Resources Minister George Pullicino said.
Giving an overview of his ministry's work over the past year, Mr Pullicino said water meters would give the government the full picture of how much and from where ground water was being extracted. This would enable it to take the necessary decisions to protect ground water sources.
The minister also announced that the financial assistance scheme to help people buy photovoltaic panels for households would re-open in May after the first scheme was taken up in under seven hours. The new scheme, financing up to €3,000 per household, would help about 400 families invest in PV panels to generate clean energy for their homes.
The minister was speaking on the roof of the Main Guard building in St George's Square, Valletta.
The new-look St George's Square was one of Mr Pullicino's projects last year. He captains a portfolio that includes, among others, natural resources, rural affairs, animal welfare, waste management and infrastructural works.
On oil exploration Mr Pullicino said the government was embarking on an international marketing drive to publicise the country's oil prospects with foreign oil companies. Offshore areas subject to international disputes with other countries over conflicting territorial claims will not be included in the drive.
Mr Pullicino said two oil companies, Heritage Oil and Malta Oil, were carrying out geological surveys. Heritage Oil is obliged to start drilling an oil well by December and Malta Oil has until July next year to start drilling operations.
Turning to waste management, Mr Pullicino said waste was an energy resource and contributed to the country's overall energy mix.
The recycling facility in Marsascala would be fully operational by July when digesters would be functioning to turn domestic waste into energy while studies were being conducted on the construction of an incinerator.
Mr Pullicino said 15 companies had shown interest in the government's offer to provide roof space on public buildings for the setting up of PV panels, a move that is expected to generate enough energy for 1,500 households.
Studies for the location of wind farms at Sikka l-Bajda, Rini Valley in Baħrija and Ħal Far industrial estate were also ongoing.
When asked about the request by Liquigas to raise the price of gas cylinders, Mr Pullicino said the revision was being evaluated by the Malta Resources Authority. "I do not interfere with the management and running of the authority but I insist the MRA perform a thorough exercise when studying any requests for price revisions," Mr Pullicino said.
More open spaces, he said, would be renovated or made accessible to the public and these included a family park in Marsascala, a natural park in Delimara, the opening of an animal petting farm for children at Ta' Qali and the upgrading of Kennedy Grove in St Paul's Bay.
Mr Pullicino spoke of EU funds being distributed to farmers and herdsmen through various government schemes. He could not resist a political jibe, insisting the millions of euros would not have been available had Malta not joined the EU.
Present for the press conference was MP Philip Mifsud who was recently assigned to the ministry as a parliamentary assistant.