Figures on groundwater extraction given by the Energy Ministry last week seriously underplay the situation, according to the Malta Water Association.
The group’s claims were sparked by a reply by Energy Minister Konrad Mizzi to a parliamentary question on the amount of water extracted in 2012.
Dr Mizzi said that some 13 million cubic metres of water had been drawn from boreholes, almost half the amount permitted by the Malta Resources Authority.
The association, however, insisted that the figures had only taken into account water extracted by the Water Services Corporation.
Figures released by the Nationals Statistics Office support the association’s stand.
Hydrologist and association co-founder Marco Cremona said he was taken aback by the minister’s reply. “This is completely misleading and incorrect. This paints a much prettier picture than the actual situation,” he said.
Dr Cremona insisted that the 3,000 registered private boreholes alone could potentially yield the same amount of water extracted by the WSC. This, he added, would likely double once illegal and non-registered boreholes were taken into consideration.
“A threshold is set to ensure sustainable extraction. Claiming that the amount is less than that permissible when it is likely much more is very misleading,” he said.
The extraction of groundwater should be monitored using onsite meters. However, while meters are used in all WSC sites and 150 commercial boreholes, many private wells remain unmonitored.
This paints a much prettier picture than the actual situation
An initiative to introduce meters to all sites back in 2009 was put on the back-burner after problems in identifying their location hindered the installation process.
Dr Cremona maintained that the widespread installation of meters would reveal a shocking picture of the limited resource.
“The reality is that we should be using some 25 million cubic metres of groundwater but the actual figure is much closer to 45 million,” he said.
At the time of writing, the ministry had not replied to questions sent by this newspaper.
The association said that the recent reduction in water extraction by the WSC was likely down to the rising levels of contamination in the island’s subterranean supply.
Dr Cremona explained that rising nitrate and chloride levels in the water table had forced the corporation to abandon sites such as the Rabat springs.
“People need to be aware of the situation because it isn’t getting any better,” he said.