Opposition spokesman on the environment Leo Brincat said it was deplorable that no one knew who was responsible to see to the dilapidated reservoirs.
Mr Brincat said there were reservoirs that could contain up to 170,000 square metres of water, but there was no information on their condition. There were also some 30 dams close to Chadwick Lakes that could store up to 154,000 square metres of water each and similarly no knowledge on their state existed.
Measures had been taken to curb abuse, but certain measures were making users dependant on water bowsers. Quoting the WSC website, Mr Brincat said that at present, 57 per cent of water was produced by reverse osmosis plants. Nevertheless, no project to update the technology had been undertaken.
A strengths and weaknesses analysis of all the corporation’s departments, together with financial estimates, had to be drawn up to ensure a proper debate on the subject. This was a practice that had been previously adopted but which was not adhered to this time.
Referring to water leakages, Mr Brincat said storm water was still ending up in the sea. Moreover, information given in Parliament showed that the seventh, eleventh and twelfth districts were suffering from water leakages. Such wastage had been identified in the Manikata (46 per cent of total consumption), in Baħrija (37 per cent) and Żebbuġ (26 per cent) areas.
The collection of run-off water from house roofs was being ignored. Moreover, it was reported that Baħrija was not even connected to the sewage treatment plant.
PN governments had given little importance to the farming sector despite the need to improve self-sufficiency in agricultural products.
While several people spoke on the need for holistic policies, government entities disregarded what other state entities were doing with regard to the same sector.
Some operators were more powerful than the regulator. Several people described MRA as an authority with almost no resources.
Mr Brincat asked whether a landscaping company was extracting water from boreholes when it was paid €10 million from the government for the works. He also asked why the recent tender for the rehabilitation and restoration of the landfill in Magħtab included afforestation and if in the affirmative, where the water needed for irrigation would come from.
Experts said that leakages in the landfill near Magħtab could have a negative impact on the water table and thus one should take preventive measures.
Leakages in the sewage system had also to be addressed as this could result in the seepage of seawater, thus increasing salinity.