Private sector extracting 40,000 litres of water from boreholes...per minute
Groundwater extraction in progress.
(Adds ministry's statement)
The private sector is extracting 40,000 litres of groundwater per minute, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, and this all for free, the Malta Water Association said this morning.
In a statement, it said that the apparent lack of a clear government policy on the control and metering of private water boreholes was a major concern.
The association, launched in March this year, is made up of water professionals who have got together in an effort to raise awareness of water issues in Malta.
It said that groundwater has, for the past years, been exploited well beyond sustainable levels of extraction.
Groundwater was generally less expensive to produce than desalinated water and it was therefore the Water Services Corporation's duty to exploit this natural resource to the benefit of water consumers, provided that the resource was managed sustainably.
The association said it was, however, deeply concerned on the apparent lack of a clear government policy on the control and metering of private water boreholes.
"A clear example is the indication given by the Ministry of Resources and Rural Affairs that all boreholes had to be registered by 2010, while the Malta Resources Authority issued letters to 200 registered borehole owners to close them."
There are presently 7,800 registered boreholes but only 109 have been metered.
"Still, it is clear that the extraction of groundwater by private consumers today exceeds the level being extracted by the WSC. The private sector is extracting 40,000 litres of groundwater per minute, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, and this all for free..."
The MWA said it was deeply concerned about such over-exploitation of free groundwater for commercial purposes, and the matter was clearly not being given urgent attention by the government.
It proposed a plan of action to address this situation including the immediate closure of all non-agricultural boreholes and the metering of all agricultural boreholes by 2012 to fine-tune estimates for agricultural water demand.
Another proposal is for investment in 'polishing' plants at all three waste water treatment plants aiming to achieve five million cubic meters of polished effluent per year by 2015, increasing to 15-20 million cubic meters per year in the long term.
This would be accompanied in the necessary infrastructure so that this water could be used in agriculture and industry.
It said that a National Agricultural Policy should immediately be drawn up to establish, among other things, irrigation requirements.
"The MWA is of the opinion that there cannot be an effective comprehensive National Water Policy without a National Agricultural Policy.
"Urgent measures are needed to control and manage the already alarming over-extraction of groundwater," it said.
Installations of meters in farmers' boreholes to start soon
The installations of free meters in boreholes owned by farmers and growers is due to start following the installation of metres to commercial boreholes, the Rural Affairs Ministry said.
It said in a statement that farmers and growers would be getting their metre free of charge as this would be financed through EU funds under the Rural Development Programme.
The government wanted farmers and growers to have a sustainable guarantee of water without agriculture being badly affected because of these measures.
The monitoring process of what was really being extracted would help so that quotas would eventually be worked out for the sector permitting sustainable extraction. In this regard, farmers and growers would benefit from substantial savings on the meter rental.
The ministry said that in the past 20 years the WSC had reduced underground water extraction through investment in the improvement of infrastructure reducing water losses from 1,020 m3 per hour in 2004 to 460 m3 per hour last year.
Water production through the reverse osmosis was also reduced from around 30 million metres3 a year to around 17 million m3 a year.
The ministry noted that drainage was already being treated before it was dumped into the sea and the fovernment was committed to use the second class water produced in this process. Pilot studies were currently being held on the quality of this water and how this could again be used in a sustainable manner.
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karl bezzina
Jul 28th 2011, 09:31
water for agricultural use is not a theft unlike what many comments are stating. think before you write, could you imagine the already weakened agricultural industry in Malta paying for the water used for irrigation whilst trying to compete with foreign companies who have abundant water for free?
the massive theft isn't caused by agriculture but by the factories who use massive quantities of water for production without paying for it!
Mr Kevin Muller
Jul 27th 2011, 21:50
Water is the most precious element on this planet. How can we accept, that some of us and our representatives treat this issue with so much ignorance ? Every drop should be counted and billed according to its value. Especially on a dry island with very limited ressources like Malta. A government which does not care about the water supply of the future is not only a shame. It's a crime to the whole country and it's population ! Clean Water is essential for the life of all of us !
Ritienne Giorgino
Jul 27th 2011, 21:35
I have been reporting a water leakage since last week. It has been repaired today (finally). Kull qatra tghodd!
Peter Axisa
Jul 27th 2011, 20:07
Nice one Antoine Vella. Absolutely spot on. It seems like the water association has a hidden agenda and I shall explain why in my reply as a letter in the times since not everyone has access to these blogs.
Peter Axisa
Albert Bezzina
Jul 27th 2011, 19:44
The numerous households that make use of the ground water bowser supply and the same service filling up hotel reservours several times a day has not been mentioned. Without statistics there is no finger pointing. If the tourist industry is so precarious that it needs to get low cost ground water to remain competative than I can only add, pack it up as it is unsustainable.
Mr Antoine Vella
Jul 27th 2011, 19:09
Most of those commenting here have no idea what they are talking about. The bulk of the boreholes in Malta are used by farmers and the statement of the Water Association is aimed (by chance or design) against them. Again and again farmers have been criminalised by members of the Water Association so this particular story follows a pattern.
D BORG
Jul 27th 2011, 19:47
You might be right telling us we do not know of the hidden agenda you are accusing the water association with, but you should agree that we have a lot of industrialists, hoteliers, car washes, and even some farmers that are abusing from this resource. This has to stop immedaitely as this is nothing else either a crime against humanity.
All boreholes supplying water to industrialists, hoteliers, car washes, even if they are in an agricultural area, (cause that is why they use waterbowsers) should be metered and every litre extracted should be paid for.
Mr Malcolm Borg
Jul 27th 2011, 22:14
Not exactly. It is true that the majority of boreholes in Malta are used by farmers but farmers cannot depend on groundwater forever. They too are realizing that this has become salty...sometimes too salty. So although I agree with you that any change with regards to borehole use would impact farmers a lot, we must start looking at alternative sources of irrigation water. And perhaps treated sewege effluent, polished and desalinated to an acceptable level is an alternative we should look into...
Mr robert micallef
Jul 27th 2011, 22:47
take a ride to bugibba, its always full of bowsers delivering to hotels. a bowser costs 23 euro. if you use the same amount of water i had calculated it and it comes to around 300 euro. so thats quite a saving no
Joseph Vassallo
Jul 28th 2011, 05:49
Exactly... and the strategy is...." Let's garner a percentage of the cost of agricultural products into our pocket."
But can anybody see beyond their noses?
Mr Robert Agius
Jul 28th 2011, 07:51
Oh farmers only. What about hotels, don't get any water from these boreholes? or do the ones I see roaming around the centre of the island lost and trying to find their way to a farm?
Alex Rizzo
Jul 28th 2011, 08:47
As a member of the MWA, and with over 20 years professional service and experience in the water sector, I find Antoine Vella's statement to be misdirecting, at best. Watching chlorides (salts) in the groundwater building up over the years (from below 200mg/Lt to over 1,000mg/Lt in many cases) due to excess groundwater extraction (and much of this outside agriculture) has been a great cause of concern. Is Antoine aware that the MWA's advice is aimed at saving the groundwater aquifer for farmers (and others) to use in a long-term, sustainable manner? Burying one's head in the sand here will solve nothing Mr. Vella.
D BORG
Jul 27th 2011, 18:56
Hon. Minister, for us there is a huge difference between sustainable extraction of water and water being extracted for the production of food in industry, soft drinks, ice creams and even worst to be sold as bottled water. These entities should have metered boreholes tomorrow and start paying if possible from yesterday and not after you had conveniently took your time to install meters, then working of quotas etc etc.
Until i wrote this you have about 100,000 litres of water on your conscience, Hon. Minister.
Eric Frendo
Jul 27th 2011, 18:04
farmers and growers??
what about those extracting water to sell to owners of swimming pools?
Mr Robert Agius
Jul 27th 2011, 17:48
Now, Dear tax payer, why don't you try not to pay your water bills...
dolores james
Jul 27th 2011, 17:26
Well done to the MWA.
I only hope that this association will have some guts in putting right what is wrong with respect to the dwindling water situation of our island.However I hope that we don't end up with another entity simillar to the ones that we already have (e.g-most gov.depts,mepa etc) with absolutely no guts to enforce the law, let it be in water management or otherwise
I augur the MWA and hope that the authorities will listen to its recommendations and actions.
Mr John Borg
Jul 27th 2011, 17:13
Water is foreseen to cost more than oil in the very near future and these are stealing it!
Mr Jo Meli
Jul 27th 2011, 18:40
Sooo CRIME does pay :(
D BORG
Jul 27th 2011, 16:33
Can someone please update us of what had happen since the following
ahttp://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20101108/local/private-boreholes-a-social-injustice.335158rticle;
I would like to ask all those involved in media to put this issue at the top of their agenda until the politicians do so.
Mrs diana cottis
Jul 27th 2011, 15:41
The lack of regulation and enforcement for groundwater here is frightening. This finite resource is being stolen and will ultimately result in shortages and higher prices for all Maltese consumers. A glossy magazine called L-Ilma, Il-Hajja recently came through my door full of photos of fountains, gardens and beaches. That propaganda money should have been spent instead on sealing or metering boreholes and polishing the water from sewage treatment plants. Action is needed now before the groundwater becomes too saline for use and we all have no choice but to pay for RO water at ever higher prices. We cannot afford to let this situation continue. Well done to the MWA.
Carmel Cilia
Jul 27th 2011, 16:35
Dragging its feet on many national problems like free water extraction by people who make a huge profit out of it; legalising the hundreds of illegal dwellings on public land;the issuing of building permits on ODZ is one of the main sources of buying votes by our politicians against the national interest. Then ha. ha we induce conscience. There is one word-hypocrites that's what they are;hypocrites..
Anthony Mifsud Bonnici Giordani
Jul 28th 2011, 05:04
Shame on GonziPN. Dizastru totali. Msieken dawk in-nies li ghadhom jappoggaw lil dan il-gvern ghax ma jafux x'inhuma jaghmlu.
M Cauchi
Jul 27th 2011, 15:04
shameful!!
Joseph Vassallo
Jul 27th 2011, 15:04
@ Mr Aldo Attard: Sir, 1 cubic metre equals 1000 litres. Do you have a calculator? In answer to your question, probably the reason is that, in the headline of a news article, 40,000 looks more impressive than 40.
But the point is that this complainant authority seems to be suggesting that it should be paid for water because it "owns the rain" or the rocks that we walk on that generally trap water underneath them. Why shouldn't private individuals draw water from their wells and boreholes if they were the ones who dug them on their property? We are not talking about water from organised and maintained galleries here; we are talking of water coming from fissures, that will more than likely be lost or lie idle if it is not drawn out by somebody or other. It creates competition at least.
The number of boreholes sunk by the late Lorry Sant's Works Ministry in the 70s and 80s had lowered the levels of the water table to salination levels but how long does it take to re-establish acceptable levels?
And how much water in litres is consumed by the nation every minute? This information would give us a benchmark to compare with because methinks that someone just wants to garner an additional income from farmers or suppliers, the cost of which will percolate (pun intended) to the average household user.
20 million cubic metres a year is as near as dammit 40,000 litres a minute but that is just what is going down the S-bend; what about the building industry? What about industrial needs other than baths and toilets? What about swimming pools? What about domestic gardening? What about domestic cleaning? These and many more uses are already being charged to the average household but, as you might expect, this is never enough. In UK, once the water utility was privatised, the bills went up dramatically and are still going up dramatically. This will be Malta's future also and it won't be too long before they start taxing the air that we breathe and the light of day. King William III called it a "window tax" in 1696. Ours will probably have a different name like "aircon surcharge" perhaps or "eco tax" or even "energy preservation tax". What's that you're saying? Oh yes! I know!
Just me thinking out loud... again!
D BORG
Jul 27th 2011, 16:56
Capturing the rain water that falls on your roof in your well is one thing, drilling a borehole, even in privtae property is completely different. The title of this article point it's finger to the private sector and with that i understand that it is refering to businesses that simply turn it into profits.
Rain water, especially that already underground, is an important limited natural resource that only the authorities should have access to and the responsibility of using and distributing it in a responsible and fair way.
Joseph Vassallo
Jul 27th 2011, 19:25
Mr/Ms Borg,.... what you are suggesting is rationing; do you by any chance remember standpipes where you had to take your bucket and wait in a queue to fill it from a solitary tap and then carry it home so you could then dip a tin cup into it and have a drink? If you do, did you prefer that lifestyle?
You (and everybody else here) are having a go at the private sector because it is "stealing" water and turning it into profit; what's wrong with that? It is going on everywhere and with everything and it is called entrepreneurship, initiative, acumen, business sense and a few other names too. It is what the world economy revolves around, working for profit, which is why competition is essential.
You are all falling into the trap of expressing support for the notion of taxing or charging for everything under the sun; who do you think will pay for any charges levied from businesses that are using water as a prime utility? I'll tell you... it will be the consumer who will pay, in other words "YOU".
It is incredible how so many succumb to manipulation not only physically but also ideologically. Do you believe that every swimming pool is always topped up from a private tanker or that there must be some that just top up from their metered supply? Is anyone complaining about those in this thread? No, because the authorities are getting their pound of flesh. Just wait for it all to happen... privatised utilities in the hands of profiteering authoritarian "shareholders". You won't have to wait too long either and you will find that ownership will have already been decided.
You say "capturing water that falls on your roof is ok" but what about water that falls on your backyard or that is running down the street and into the sea? Is that not alright too? There is no such thing as "water already under the ground" in this context; there is water that is galleried and managed and water that is trapped where the sun doesn't shine. I remember old miners [baqquniera] who used to spend years hacking away in their backyards hoping to hit a stream of water so they could take it to their little field for their vegetables. What do you think will happen to the price of fruit and vegetables when farmers have to pay a private enterprise for their water? Will you be paying less for your six-portions-a-day, do you suppose?
Most people don't bother to look at traffic density before deciding which direction is best to follow and end up just following the crowd.
J. Debono
Jul 27th 2011, 21:59
@ Mr. Vassallo
Imagine being charged for the air we breathe!
That is what you're saying, as this water belongs to everyone, and should be used and distributed by Water Services to keep water prices down. Instead it is being pumped up and used to make profits by a few who have a borehole - and to add insult to injury, most of these boreholes were dug illegally
Joseph Vassallo
Jul 28th 2011, 12:22
Mr Debone: You find it difficult to digest that you might be paying for the air that you breathe?
If you have an air conditioner you will know that they are not exactly frugal in their use of electricity. So your bills will be hugher than normal in proportion to the use of your aircon; the tariff is dynamic inasmuch if you use more than their stipulated amount, the rate will be surcharged; your first 100 units are @ €x, your next are @€x+ and then anything above that is @ €x++.
There is more than just one way of skinning a cat!
Joseph Vassallo
Jul 28th 2011, 12:34
Mr Debono: Could you please explain to me why this water belongs to everyone rather than to the owner of the roof or garden or field on which it falls?
We went though this back in the 70s when water was turned off for days on end while nothing was done to curb natural losses of water into the sea or leakages of treated water back into the ground.
Has it not occurred to you that water taken from the ground and used for irrigation is going straight back into the ground anyway?
This is the magic cycle of nature and water that evaporates will come back down as rain.
Now if you are criticising the fact that no massive reservoirs have been built for the settlement and storage of water on this little island, you might just have a point.
But the exercise in progress is about maximising the income of some authority that will soon be privatised. It is about making YOU pay; just look at the rising scale on the back of your bills. Of course when this takes effect there will be performance bonuses all round, won't there?
D BORG
Jul 27th 2011, 14:43
This is worse than simply daylight robbery, with the blessing of our authorities. This water is a natural resource being exploit by all local beverages manufacturers and water bottlers and then we have to pay through our noses for their products. Can you simply work out the following 40,000 litres per minute, multiplied by 60, multiplied by 24 and then by 365 means 21,024,000,000 litres of water each year.
If the government charge these industries at 0.001 per litre will be collecting over 21million, which could be deducted from the energy bills that we are currently paying. And no I do not mind if some of these beverage companies decide to pack up and send all their employees home.
I strongly beleive that, as did so over a decade ago, invest in domestic ROs and make our own drinking water at home and when we feel like a soft drink we should buy an imported brand.
The charge should also apply to all water transporters, hotels farmers etc. There should be no respect to who is abusing a vital natural resource like water.
I would like to see this newly formed association to take main stage in this issue and uses all means available to make the government take action about this. Yes if there is need I would ask them to consider national protests.
Isnt'it more serious than someone shooting a dog? with all the due respect to Star and all abused animals in the world.
Ruben Saliba
Jul 27th 2011, 14:00
If that water goes really to the Agriculterer, let them take it free.
For a good cause i would agree to give it to them free...
But for persons to fill up a pool, others getting rich(without paying tax) by selling illegal pumped water and I instead i have to pay the water i drink for a higher price than electricity. (and now without subsidy)
This is Jungle not Malta...
Mr R ferriggi
Jul 27th 2011, 16:34
kif qed tghid hekk?? mela hawn xi haga publika li tista tittiehed hekk,,,, imbaghad il konsumature jigi ic- chargjat ghaliha??
ma jidhirlekx li xorta mhux fair??
Charlie Borg
Jul 27th 2011, 13:15
Kemm hawn minnkom li jhallu l-vit miftuh?
Kemm hawn minnkom li jahslu l-karozzi taghhom bil-pajp?
Kemm hawn minnkom li fil-fatt ghandkom borehole fil-gonna taghkom imma xorta tiktbu hawnhekk?
D BORG
Jul 27th 2011, 17:01
x'ghandu x'jaqsam Sur Borg?
Vit miftuh apposta zgur hadd ma jhalli sakemm m'ghandux xi vit qabel l-arlogg.
Jekk ma tahilsx il-karozza bil-pajp trid tmur car wash li probabli juza ilma imtella min borehole u li hu ahjar milli ghandek fil-vit tad-dar.
Nahseb li min ghandu borehole id-dar mhux jikteb hawn qed imma jinkwieta ghax gejja tieghu.
Mr Robert Agius
Jul 27th 2011, 17:52
1. might be, but they pay for it.
2. Again, might be, but they pay for it.
3. well, they should have considered...
kemm hawn min u vojt?
Mario Camilleri
Jul 27th 2011, 13:12
All animals are equal, but some more equal than others. Typically Malta.
And yet I'd have to try to make ends meet simply for my exorbitant water and electricity bills and mind you, all my lighting fixtures are energy savers.
Recently I received as most probably everybody else did, a leaflet sent by the Ministry of George Pullicino. And this leaflet says on one hand that we need and have to be more cautious in regards to water management, then on the other hand you would see the fountains as part of the infrastructure projects. A bit ironic, I would say.
But now having read this news, things are going to from bad to worse by the minute with the implications that there is no does available.
I wonder how underground water extraction can be legal!! Moreover how can there be illegal water extraction? This is not simply drilling into the ground some couple of feet in ones back garden/yard.
Silvio Abela
Jul 27th 2011, 13:07
What is the extracted water used for? That's the main question I think needs to be asked. If used for swimming pools then the responsible authority should block the bore hole. A small matter of checking with Transport Malta who owns these private bowsers will also give an indication of what and where they use it. If operating without licence to do so, then they should have the guts to confiscate the bowser.
They are ruining our water table and some people are either swimming in it or using it for their own selfish needs.
Mr Jowey Brownie
Jul 27th 2011, 12:55
This practice is not only a daylight robbery but downright immoral for which we have to give an account before God . Water is a precious resource and millions of people each year die simply because they lack access to clean water. Others walk long distances just to have a bucket of clean water and decades ago many Maltese used to do same.
And here we have a bunch of unscrupulous people buying a penny-worth rusty truck-bowser making a good buck by sucking dry the water table. The supply is then sold at the fraction of real commercial price to pools , hotels and beverage manufactures whilst the latter make hefty profits from the end product . This is not mention that if any of this water ends up in the food chain unfiltered it poses serious health risks because the nitrate content of borehole water is increasing due to the increasing application of fertilisers in agriculture.
If this is not immoral then we need to redefine it .
aldo Attard
Jul 27th 2011, 12:36
Time 12:22
Have not yet red the article but the heading has already disturbed me. When is the water extraction measurement from underground calculated in litres and not in cubic metres?
We are not talking about a petrol pump station attending pump but a mass extraction process.
Hence, so much metric tonnes (cubic metres) per hour.
Mr joe vella
Jul 27th 2011, 12:58
I would suggest you work out the amount of water that is extracted by the rate it is sold at
(a fraction below the high consumer rate charges by wsc) you would then be dealing with mega euros instead of litres or cubic metres!!
s. caruana
Jul 27th 2011, 12:18
Kollox ghal gol-hajt f'dan il-pajjiz u l-gvern ikun vigilanti biss ma' dak jew dawk li jkunu qed ixxeklulu l-poter.
M Vella***
Jul 27th 2011, 12:16
What is wrong with this country ?Malta is Rudderless.
charles tabone
Jul 27th 2011, 12:10
So 6791 are not metred! They extract as much water as they fancy, charge the relaevant rates and naturally there are no Vat receipts in the offing. This is the MALTA that is raped in every sense under the eyes of an incompetent and an insensitive government. It is a case of us, honest citizens, paying all the taxes and they, twisters of the economy, getting all the bloody benefits. Jekk ma tafux xi tfisser hobbla u tredda' araw dawn il-hniezer kif taqqlu lil Malta. What about the water table? How many years will it take to get the water table stabilized???
Andre Fenech
Jul 27th 2011, 12:08
Just one clarification to some of the comments. A big percentage of this water is not going to industry as is being implied by some but is mainly being extracted for agriculture. Please check the MRA 's website for more details.
Maybe its time to rethink our agricultural systems completely and train our farmers to grow only a certain type of fruit and veg which do not necessarily need so much water. Water melon is clear case which comes to mind, our semi arid climate is not conducive to such agriculture. Drip and mechanised irrigation should also be a must and the authorities should make everything in its power to to educate farmers that if the ground water quality continues to deteriorate (due to salinity and high nitrate levels) then their livelihood will be impacted and there will be no future for the sector in this country.
May I also remind the public , that the Government has just opened a waste water treatment facility in the south of Malta which could have easily redirected this water (following further treatment) for the purpose of agriculture. Unfortunately most of this 2nd class water is just being thrown into the sea.
Joseph Vassallo
Jul 27th 2011, 15:17
Mr Fenech, "Being used for agriculture" is synonymous with "going straight back into the ground". Farmers ARE now moving in the direction of drip-feeding their plants, this being more economical.
Did you miss the bit about polishing the water (20 million cubic metres of it) for agriculture.
Mr Joseph N. Attard
Jul 27th 2011, 12:04
Now if we were living by the Zambesi or the Amazon.....But this is arid Malta, and water costs are sky high. So why should some get it for free? They've had it good for far too long. Now it's about time to make them pay. People who can afford a private swimming pool should be able to afford to pay more for their pool water.
Mr Michael Debono
Jul 27th 2011, 11:58
Michael Debono
Those who extract water from boreholes are not only not paying anything to the country but most probably are charging a fee to consumers. It is known that ground water is extracted for the manufacture of soft drinks and therefore pay nothing on the contrary they charge those who buy their product or even just plain water.
And what is the government doing. Nothing. Just calling these people to register but no sanction. 24000 litres per minute means 14.4 milions liters per hour or 34,560 cube meters of water per day and if yo multiply it by 365 it gives 12,614,400 meter cubes per annum.(twelve million six hundred and fourten thousand 400 meter cubes) Calculate this at the rate the government charges per family and you have the price that is saved by these exploiters of water and the money they charge per litre for their products.
Michael Seychell
Jul 27th 2011, 11:56
For a layman who use water snesibly and always insist with memberts of my family not to waste water, to say that this news item is Shocking, would be an undferstatement.
I urge Minister George Pullicino to clarify this statement and inform the general public whether this statement is correct, who is 'the private sector', whether this sector includes the soft drink and mineral water producers, and if so whether these producers are charged for the use of this water.
Michael Seychell
Tal-Pieta
E. Azzopardi
Jul 27th 2011, 11:42
We have known about this for ages and we have done nothing about it. Just fixing meters is no good at all.
This is the "People's water" and experts have been warning about the quality of water we shall have in the future. Will someone take immediate drastic action please, for the sake of this blessed country?
Joseph Vassallo
Jul 27th 2011, 15:21
How humourous! The 2People's water"?
Is THAT why we don't pay for it?
John Cutajar
Jul 27th 2011, 11:42
But the thing is that the they took note just because they are getting it for free not because water is being wasted...
Godfrey Camilleri
Jul 27th 2011, 11:41
It would be interesting to know how the MWA arrived at this 40,000 figure when nobody knows how many boreholes really exist and how much do they extract every day or month. Also it is difficult to know how much water do the aquifers hold so how come to this extraction figure?
Ruben Saliba
Jul 27th 2011, 11:36
Ghax ma jghamilx bhal tal-Karozzi, jhabbar numru ta' sms u nibdew nghibatulu fejn hemm suspett ta' Bore hole illegali, halli jinvestiga. Pero jinvestiga u jghatina rendikont, ghanzi jgib wicchom fuq it-televizzjon!! halli nkunu nafu ghaliex certu nies jsiru sinjuri....
Mr Paul Caruana
Jul 27th 2011, 11:25
It is actually amusing to hear the authorities stating that we need to use our RO plants less, as they consume too much electricity.
A few more years and we will be relying 100% on the RO plants for drinking water - I wonder by how much the water bills will have to go up!
Mr Charles Cremona
Jul 27th 2011, 11:23
When underground water runs out and it will soon at this rate we will be solely reliant on reverse osmosis which is getting more and more expensive because of the price of oil we will then blame he government of the day whoever it is for the high price of water. We are at present wasting this precious resource that is left underground and when it runs out it will be too late. The government should bring in draconian sentences for anyone caught abusing the extraction of groundwater, anyone caught doing it without a licence should go to prison, its as serous as that.
Adrian Bonett
Jul 27th 2011, 11:11
Can I apply for this business? Free supply of resources ... unlimited demand ... all I need is the truck !
Lela Spiteri
Jul 27th 2011, 12:10
Adrian,I am interested too.
Mr Patrick Zammit
Jul 27th 2011, 11:07
To Malta Water Association
Oh come on, let them extract as much as they like and make a hefty profit in the process.
A soft drinks/water producing company was also given an environment trophy of some sort despite extracting water on a massive scale.
After all, the taxpayer which also includes pensioners, are footing the bill for WSC to use valuable and precious electricity to produce water by reverse osmosis from sea water.
And the taxpayer can certainly afford it after being given a E500 (plus COLA) weekly increase to his pay/pension.
Mr Paul Cassar
Jul 27th 2011, 11:05
WHERE IS GOVERNMENT???????????????? DO THEY EXPECT US TO DO THEIR DUTY??????????/
ANOTHER CASE OF DAYLIGHT ROBBERY AND HONEST CITIZENS PAYING THROUGH THEIR NOSES.
Jeff Mead
Jul 27th 2011, 16:37
paying through their noses, well my dear its big enough on some.
Mr Reginald Borg
Jul 27th 2011, 11:03
Kemm ahna sbieh min jaf jarana!
Daylight robbery!
Kulhadd jaghmel li jrid!
Ghandu xi kummenti x'jaghmel fuq dan il-fatt DottorJM?
Mr Pat Hobson
Jul 27th 2011, 11:21
Why do you have to politicise this sensitive issue? If drastic measure have to be taken, so be it! But please leave politics out of this. Do you buy mineral water? Or from a local soft drink company? Then you're helping those who are depleting our water table and abetting in this daylight robbery. This is a cause of concern, and no amount of politics and sarcasm can save us. Try something constructive next time, and leave politics for the politicians.
Mr A Spiteri
Jul 27th 2011, 11:32
x'ghandu x jaqsam jm ma dan il fatt u jekk huwa daylight robbery fi 23 sena misshom ilhom li waqqfuwhom, u b dawk l ammonti kbar ta ilma li qed jinghad li jittiehdu u peres li qedin jiehdu l ilma u ma humiex jirriplesjawh b xi haga ohra nasheb li malta daqt tinzel ghax peres li l ilma qed jonqos b dawk l ammonti kbar hafna f'kull minuta dan ma ha jkun hemm xejn xi jzomm il blat u fl ahhar ha tistrieh
Mr M Farrugia
Jul 27th 2011, 11:33
jista xi hadd jghidilna kemm qed ihalsu il-kumpaniji kbar li qed jaghmlu il-belli liri min fuq dan l-ilma qed jhallsu lil gvern talli itellu dan l-ilma min taht l-art. L-uniku nies li qed ihallsu ghal dan l-ilma huwa l-poplu Malti peress li jhallas il-VAT. Hemm bzonn li inkunu nafu kemm min dan l-ilma qed imur ghal agrikoltura u kjemm minnu ghal kummerc.
john muscat
Jul 27th 2011, 11:44
Hbieb tal-hbieb, mhux kulhadd jaghmel li jrid!