Issues concerning water quality and quantity are being tackled in the Water Catchment Management Plan, launched today between the Malta Environment and Planning Authority and the Malta Resources Authority

The plan includes measures aimed to improve the quality of water, especially ground water.

It notes that most of the water in reservoirs was impossible to reach a good status by the EU’s 2015 targets because of salinity and nitrates.

Water took 40 years to filter itself to the water table and the directive too this into account, pushing back Malta’s deadline to 2027, Manuel Sapiano, from the MRA said.

While ground nitrates would be reduced, more fresh water would be pumped into the water table.

The plan also proposed incentives for rain water harvesting, the restoration of dams and valleys.

Environment Parliamentary Secretary Mario de Marco said that while Malta’s available rate of water per capita was 58 metres cubed, the EU considered 2,000 metres cubed per capita as ‘very low water resources’.

This was a very ambitious plan for Malta and a lot of its success depended on individual cooperation

Rural Affairs Minister George Pullicino noted that the €56 million flood relief project, which had been taken in hand, would double the amount of stored water in Malta.

Sewage treatment plant water, he said, was being tested in a pilot project to see if this could be used to replenish the aquifer. This should increase the amount of water in the water table by 11 million cubic metres a year.

Mr Pullicino said that there were political decisions which have to be taken.

If the Water Services Corporation, for example, had to be told to stop using water from the aquifer and rely exclusively on reverse osmosis plants, it would cost households an additional €9 million a year in water bills. The decision not to opt for such a measure had been taken, he said.