Eight licences for bowser suppliers of potable water have been revoked by the Environmental Health Directorate, it was revealed yesterday.

The licences were revoked because groundwater extracted by the suppliers no longer met the standards required for potable water, the EU Life+ Investing in Water Project said in a statement.

These eight licences were cancelled by the end of 2011 due to excessive nitrates in the groundwater supplied to customers. The decision leaves only five licensed bowser suppliers of safe first class water.

Water audits carried out by the EU Life+ Investing in Water Project among businesses and hotels over the past few weeks confirm that bowser-supplied potable class water is an important resource for many commercial enterprises.

This groundwater is freely extracted by bowser suppliers and is therefore normally cheaper than potable water supplied by the Water ServicesCorporation.

Companies have said, however, that over the past few months first class bowser water has become more difficult and expensive to source.

The planning authority’s latest Environment Report lists nitrate levels in 90 per cent of Malta’s groundwater bodies at above acceptable limits.

EU LIFE+ Investing in Water Project’s water expert Marco Cremona said the problem with groundwater was not limited to pollution, since demand exceeded supply.

“While we recommend that businesses only purchase groundwater from licensed suppliers, through the EU Life+ Investing in Water Project we are also providing information and assistance to businesses and hotels on the importance of water conservation and measures to reduce their consumption.”