If Malta continued to extract water at current rates, it risked becoming totally dry within the next two decades or so, Alternattiva Demokratika chairman Arnold Cassola said this morning.

Addressing a news conference near the Coca Cola factory which utilised ground water for 40 per cent of its requirements, he said water was scarce and extremely precious in Malta.

“Malta is the 10th driest country in the world when it comes to water resources pro-capita. The driest nine countries in the world are all countries that include a desert within their confines… As things stand at present, we are extracting about double the amount of water from the water table than that replenished through rainfall.”

Deputy chairman Carmel Cacopardo said it was essential to protect ground water which had been ignored for ages due to over extraction and pesticide, fertiliser and farm sewage contamination.

He said it was not acceptable for a company such as Coca Cola to utilise so much ground water.

“This has to cease forthwith.

"It is essential that decisions are rolled out the earliest because further delay will leave us in a situation where we have nothing left to protect.

Urgent decisions required included the need to better regulate the extraction of ground water including not permitting industry to make direct use of this resource, free or against payment.

He said it was positive that a decision to reuse treated sewage effluent was taken and hoped that the necessary changes were carried out at the earliest.

"It is also essential that that the conclusions of the pilot project to recharge the aquifer through using TSE are made public so that an informed public debate of the matter is carried out.

"A long term agricultural plan which considers the water requirements of this strategic activity is essential. Such a plan should also address the need to reduce the use of pesticides and artificial fertilisers.

“Farmers require professional assistance to address this matter which should seek not only the reduction of use of pesticides and artificial fertilisers but also the protection of soiled and ground water.

“We should remember that the contamination of ground water follows a 40-year cycle. This means it will take some time for benefits of present day decisions to be felt. It is thus more important to act at the soonest,” he said.