Recycling waste water from showers and wash hand basins would result in the saving of about €1million, according to two business organisations.

The Malta Business Bureau and the Malta Hotels and Restaurants Association have published recommendations submitted as part of the EU LIFE+ Investing in Water project.

The recommendations focus on the contribution of what is termed “grey-water treatment” by the hotel industry as a Green economy initiative.

The recommendations note that, if a policy encouraging grey-water treatment were adopted, the hotel industry could cut its water consumption by nearly 500,000 cubic metres a year.

The technology is available on the local market, with plants costing from €15,000 to €45,000, offering an average of four years’ return on investment. The recycling systems turn waste water from showers and wash hand basins into second-class water suitable for flushing toilets and irrigation.

Space requirements for the recycling systems are minimal and can be met by most hotels. Existing plants have been fitted into a pump room and even a large shaft.

“The key stumbling block to current investment in this technology is lack of awareness among operators, inadequate plumbing in existing buildings and the fact that some other projects might offer more attractive returns, such as investments in energy-efficient heating and lighting,” said Joseph Restall, the MHRA’s environmental committee chairman.

“A grant policy facilitating operators’ investment could help overcome these obstacles and lead to a widespread implementation of grey-water treatment by hotels.”

The recommendations can be viewed at www.investinginwater.org/Downloadables.