Every new home should have access to first-class water for consumption and second-class water for toilets and other domestic uses, the Church environment commission has recommended.

It also proposed an incentive scheme for the use of well water as second-class water and better control of animal rearing on rooftops to avoid the contamination of rainwater that could be collected.

The recommendations are found in a document released by the commission that forms part of the conclusions of a three-day conference on the environment held in December. The conference focused on the built environment, water use and eco-Gozo.

The commission also referred to a brain drain of young people from Gozo, who were leaving to work and live in Malta.

While saying Gozitans should, as much as possible, work in Gozo, the commission recognised this was impossible to achieve because of the small market and the simple fact that career specialisation would require youngsters to travel to Malta.

However, the commission urged the development of new niche industries, such as rural tourism and specialised English language schools for professionals.

Turning to the built environment, the commission said incentive schemes should be introduced to encourage the restoration of derelict properties and regulations for noise reduction in the built environment.

The conference, the third of its kind, was organised with the Maltese Water Association, green group Flimkien għal Ambjent Aħjar and the government’s Eco-Gozo Directorate.