Questions are being raised over the purpose of a €25 million investment in three water-polishing plants, wondering how the second class water supplied will be distributed and used.
“Although this is a good project, because we need to re-use water, I’m afraid that the plans are not yet clear and the whole thing might end up being another white elephant,” water expert Marco Cremona told Times of Malta yesterday.
His comments were echoed by farmers – who will use this second class water – complaining that they are being kept completely in the dark about the plans.
“The government has not told us anything and all we know is what the media reported,” a 45- year-old part-time farmer from Siġġiewi said.
And a farmer from Mġarr added: “No one has ever asked us whether we actually want this water.”
It is also unclear who will be paying for the production and distribution of the water.
No one has ever asked us whether we actually want this water
Work on the project is expected to start soon as Mepa has already given its green light.
“I follow water issues on a daily basis and, to tell you the truth, I don’t even know what will be happening to this water,” Mr Cremona said. “You need a full distribution system to take this water to the farming community and this will cost money.”
Mr Cremona urged the government to give more details on its plans and spell out its policy on this second class water.
“Who will be footing the bill for this added expense? Will it be another added burden on the Water Services Corporation or will farmers have to pay for it?”
For Mr Cremona, lack of clear policies in this area might mean the project will be a waste of money.
“We need to know what is going to happen and the government needs to tell us how it’s going to administer this water,” he said. “If not, this will be another waste of money.”
Unlike the rest of EU countries, Malta does not yet have a sewage tariff to fund the costs related to sewage treatment. The costs, which runs into tens of millions of euros a year, are shouldered by the WSC despite its continued losses.
Farmers who spoke to Times of Malta said they were not prepared to start paying for the water to be provided by the government as they were “getting by very well with the borehole water”.
Farmers use boreholes – mostly illegally – to water their crops.
“It’s of no use to me that the second class water is provided via a nearby reservoir,” one farmer said.
“With the borehole, I have water directly in my field.
“I don’t need more hassles,”he added.
The project, co-financed by the EU, is intended to convert 30 per cent of sewage reaching treatment plants into second class water.
Three polishing plants will be built adjacent to the existing sewage treatment plants – in Gozo, Ċirkewwa and Żabbar – producing about seven million cubic metres of second class water annually from treated effluent.