Resource Minister George Pullicino told Parliament on Tuesday that 8,000 boreholes have already been registered. Notification had started in 2008, although the process was introduced in 1997 but there was the need for upgrading.

Water bowsers have been regulated and 129 applications had been received while 70 licences had been issued. Electronic tracking was also put into place on each bowser to track water extraction.

In the meantime operators have been asked to pay for meter installations on boreholes but 13 operators have not paid for the installation, he said. Farmers would have their meter installation for free, following financial assistance to the tune of €3 million from the EU Rural Development Programme.

Meters had been installed on 109 boreholes used for commercial purposes and 62 installations were pending. Later on this year, the phasing out of boreholes used for domestic purposes would follow. Turning to the storm water project, Minister Pullicino said this project had been revised to make it cost effective. In a year, 650,000 square meters of water would be stored. This was double the volume of water being stored at present.

This project was co -financed by the EU and would cost €56 million. Moreover, more projects would be undertaken such as the rehabilitation of Wied il-Ghasel which has a water capacity of 80,000 square metres.

Minister Pullicino said that 13 valleys were cleaned last year with more than 7,200 tons of rubbish being removed. This maintenance had cost €800,000, an amount usually spent annually. This year 12 reservoirs and seven valleys would be cleaned.

In almost all public gardens and parks, reservoirs for irrigation were built, including two at the national park at Ta’ Qali and another three in George Bonello De Puis Garden in Sliema.