Wastewater treatment process is quite expensive

George Pullicino’s Every Drop Of Water Counts (October 14) very clearly portrays his callous insensitiveness to the costs we have to bear were he to embark on a project to treat sewage affluent. This water contains a considerable amount of salt. Therefore, it would require some kind of reverse osmosis. This would not only be costly to install but also put a daily load on our national coffers.

The minister knows as well as many that we have enough rainwater if we just save most of it. The simplest way to do it is to make it fall into deep pits and this water will force itself to the lower aquifer. It would recharge it and force seawater out.

This system has a double benefit as it would lessen flooding if shafts are dug at professionally studied points, with the necessary frequency. These will also increase the potable water at the lower aquifer. This water would, of course, be filtered cheaply through cotton wool. Water from roofs should also be utilised.

As a minister who has agriculture under his aegis, Mr Pullicino knows, or should know, that the word treated sewage affluent (TSE) brings terror to serious farmers and fastidious customers.

May I remind him that Malta’s experience in reverse osmosis goes back more than 25 years and not the 20 he mentioned. It is taxpayers’ money he will be squandering with his super expensive projects, which cost the earth to run. May I ask whether the running costs were factored in? I demand to know.