It pays to tackle water problems

The original Storm Water Master Plan planned by the government aimed to address the problems of flooding (storm water) and of ground water resources shortages. The key target was to harvest approximately five to eight million cubic metres of rainwater per annum.

At some stage in the process, the authorities deemed the original targets unfeasible. Thus, it was decided that the best course of action was to scale back its scope and targets. Now only addressing the flooding problem, the downsized project aimed to incorporate 10,000 cubic metres of storage and to facilitate the seepage of 650,000 cubic metres per annum into the aquifer.

In this regard, the Chamber of Engineers fails to comprehend how such a reservoir can manage to channel 65 times its capacity of water into the ground every year, even if the rainfall pattern was such that it would rain as soon as the reservoir would empty. It must be noted that in Malta we have 66 days of precipitation per year. Thus, it is assumed that the government is using this figure when estimating recharge potential. However, this is only valid if the rainfall events were timed perfectly, which is highly improbable.

The current available water in Malta is 58 cubic metres per person per year. To put this figure into perspective, 2,000 cubic metres per person per year is considered low by European standards. To add to this negative state of affairs, the natural recharge area of rainwater into aquifers has also decreased and run-off water to the sea (and loss of a precious resource) is increasing.

It must also be noted that the quality of water in the aquifer is poor and indications are that it is this deteriorating further. The high nitrate level found in groundwater is attributed to poorly controlled agricultural and farming practices as well as leakages from cesspits and discharges from farms. In addition, the high rate of pumping from boreholes is resulting in salinisation of the mean sea level aquifers, which still provide 45 per cent of the potable water supply and almost all the water needed for agricultural purposes and a number of manufacturing concerns.

In this regard, the position taken by the Malta Resources Authority in the past days to order the closing down of 200 residential boreholes is highly commended. However, the Chamber of Engineers must point out that this announcement must be followed swiftly with efficient enforcement through on-site inspections in order to verify that such boreholes have indeed been sealed and decommissioned.

The Chamber of Engineers recommends with urgency that existing dams and water catchment areas in valleys and low-lying areas should be restored and maintained, with ongoing maintenance and monitoring being crucial. Precautions must be taken to provide adequate security to minimise contamination from human, animal or other environmental contaminants. New dams should also be built wherever possible.

Controlling harmful discharges that can seep into the water aquifer, particularly those coming from agriculture is also critical. In this regard, irrigation practices should be adequately controlled to curtail inefficient operations and also reducing run-off volume.

By enforcing the law requiring wells in buildings, rainwater will be saved and stored for future use. Such storage will increase flexibility for residents and result in lower water costs. This will also reduce the amount of water on the roads, a major cause of flooding and property damage. However, it is also imperative that the water is reused as it will only end up on the roads if the well overflows.

The Chamber of Engineers re-commends encouraging reuse of water, domestically, in agriculture and in manufacturing industries. By reusing stored rainwater as a secondary water source, for watering gardens and toilet flushing, among others, households can reduce dependency on treated water supplies. This comes at little expense for the consumer once they have an appropriate storage facility in place.

Road infrastructure should include rainwater guttering and storage or soakaways. Such infrastructure would minimise the chances of flooding disasters and would save the water that can be reused later.

Rainwater guttering and storage must also be regularly inspected and maintained. Once rainwater is contaminated by road debris and chemicals, the cost of cleaning it for use may outweigh the benefit of recycling it, thus contamination should be avoided at all cost.

The country is heavily dependent on fossil fuel for providing sufficient and good quality water and is also becoming increasingly more dependent on reverse osmosis. With its dependence upon high pressure to subvert the normal flow of water, reverse osmosis is costly, thus, as a consequence, water costs also continue to rise.

The Chamber of Engineers believes that unless drastic action is taken immediately the country will continue to see deterioration in groundwater quantity and quality and may have to face EU fines with regard to the Nitrate Directive and the Water Framework Directive in the future.

The author is president of the Chamber of Engineers.