Reverse osmosis plants register 88 per cent efficiency increase

Finance Minister Tonio Fenech told Parliament yesterday that the Water Services Corporation had fulfilled its environmental obligations last year by increasing the three reverse osmosis plants' efficiency by 88 per cent, thus consuming 20 per cent less electricity and decreasing CO2 emissions by 20,000 tonnes.

Introducing the debate on the corporation's financial estimates for 2010, Mr Fenech said 55 percent of the drinking water was produced by the RO plants. The quality of the drinking water had improved because chloride levels had also been reduced. Over 20,000 tests had been carried out on water samples to ensure fitness for drinking.

The corporation last year produced 29 million cubic metres of water.

Water leakages had been contained through the replacement of over 19,000 water pipes, with 95 per cent of the leakages being the result of damage from households and five per cent from mains.

He said that the corporation had two main responsibilities: to provide drinking water and to treat sewage before it was thrown into the sea, possibly using this second-class water for agricultural purposes. This was very important so as not to continue to deplete the water table.

The WSC was also investing in the general infrastructure for sewage treatment. It had embarked on a strategic plan to reduce sewage overflow and upgrade pumping stations.

Minister Fenech said that the Mġarr ix-Xini sewage treatment plant which had started operations in 2007 had treated 1.5 million cubic metres of sewage before it was thrown into the sea. This plant had been possible with an investment of €7 million through EU funds.

Another plant was being constructed at Għarb, and these two plants would treat all sewage in Gozo.

He said the government was to make further investment in these plants to polish the water for use in irrigation. The Mellieħa plant was treating three million cubic metres of sewage. The Sant'Antin plant, which had been operational for 27 years, provided second-class water for agriculture between March and October.

The minister announced that the sewage treatment plant at Ta' Barkat, in the limits of Xgħajra, Żabbar, was to be fully operational by November. This plant was to treat 82 per cent of sewage in Malta, with 60,000 cubic metres of sewage treated daily.

The Wied Għammieq pumping station would be closed down. The project was co-financed by EU funds with an investment of €60million, with the corporation having already invested €38.6 million.

By the end of this year Malta would be fully compliant with EU directives, and no sewage would be thrown into the sea without treatment. This also showed the government's commitment to safeguarding the coastal waters to achieve a better quality of life.

The Xgħajra plant would also produce biogas for its own use, reducing electricity consumption and making it less dependent on the national grid.

Minister Fenech said the corporation was investing €11.5 million to upgrade the Marsa pumping station and €0.8 million for the sewer gallery from Marsa to Rinella.

The corporation had embarked on a pilot project in Luqa with the introduction of the ceramic membrane biological reactor treating sewage in remote areas and providing second-class water which could be used for irrigation, landscaping, concrete mixing and firefighting purposes.

Preliminary designs for polishing water in the three Gozo sewage treatment plants had been carried out. Discussions had been held with stakeholders so that this treated water could be used for agriculture and, through refined polishing, possibly even for drinking.

Mr Fenech said that through the integrated business system that was being implemented, the corporation would introduce smart meters not only for electricity but also for water. This would increase efficiency in billing and cash flow. It would also give the corporation better water auditing and management.

The smart meters would be fully operational in two years' time. He said 21,550 meters had already been installed with an investment of €3 million. The total number of meters to be installed amounted to 233,000.