Juan Ameen
8,000 boreholes to be metered eventually
Illegal and uncontrolled extraction of water from boreholes should be seriously limited if not eradicated as owners will have to install a meter in line with a new legal notice.
Owners of commercial boreholes are being given 30 days to apply for the installation of a meter, which will cost €765 and will be installed by officials from the Water Services Corporation.
About 8,000 boreholes, registered in a recent government scheme, will eventually be metered, a Resources Ministry spokesman said.
Priority will be given to commercial boreholes, particularly those from which a substantial amount of water is extracted.
The Malta Resources Authority would this week contact owners to install the meters and those failing to do so would face penalties, the spokesman said. "There is also the possibility the boreholes might be closed down."
Eventually, boreholes used by farmers for agricultural purposes would be given meters but the cost would be subsidised by the government, the spokesman said.
Illegal groundwater extraction was highlighted in a recent environment report, drawn up by the Malta Environment and Planning Authority, as a serious cause for concern. The report called for national legislation and enforcement because the illegal extraction was leading to salt water seeping into the water table, increasing the salinity levels.
Since the report's findings, the government launched a registration scheme for water tankers that draw from the water table. The Malta Resources Authority received 86 applications from operators of water tankers for a total of 126 vehicles.
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Joe Grech
Apr 30th 2010, 02:37
M'ghandkomx ghagla. Mela fl-ahhar stenbahtu? Xorta miniex konvint li din l-amministrazzjoni hija serja u kapaci bizzejjed sabiex twaqqaf l-abbuz li ilu sejjer ghal bosta ghexieren ta' snin!
There's no hurry, mind you! Have you woken up to your responsibilities at long last? I still remain unconvinced that this administration is serious and efficient enough to stop this scandalous abuse which has been going on for far too long!
''the illegal extraction was leading to salt water seeping into the water table, increasing the salinity levels'' - Anyone ready to bet that our administrative leaders are ready to declare to citizens that they did not know what was going on....?
Also: will those extracting the national water be required to PAY for so doing?
Stop trying to take people for a ride please. Either do things seriously or just keep on looking the other way!
joe Aquilina
Apr 29th 2010, 13:49
Are we talking here about bore holes that have been dug recently in the last years or are these to include the OLD SPEJJER that have been there for years and years and being used only for the farming?
c.sammut
Apr 29th 2010, 13:32
What about boreholes found in private homes with water extracted piped under road
surfaces to water fields???
Joe Borg
Apr 29th 2010, 11:53
It takes a lot of courage to finally clamp down on this long overdue matter.
Looks like we're finally seeing the light at the end of the borehole dilemma. After all this resource belongs to all and anyone using it should be compensating society for its use.
Joanne Micallef
Apr 29th 2010, 10:47
Better late than never I guess, though since we're pretty late on this very important issue I hope all meters will be installed within a year