It seems I have become a target for Edward Mallia of late, with his latest online comments going as far as saying I have excused bowser owners from pumping groundwater illegally.

Anybody who is in tune with local environmental and water matters in particular knows I have been instrumental in kick-starting a national discussion on the safeguarding of our groundwater resources and that I have repeatedly said the illegal over-exploitation of our groundwater by all and sundry (including bowser owners) must be curbed.

In a contribution to The Times (August 8), Prof. Mallia, honorary chairman of Friends of the Earth Malta, counters my statement that NGOs did not have groundwater issues at the top of their environmental agenda, by informing us that, as early as 1997, Moviment għall-Ambjent – Friends of the Earth (Malta) published a study called ‘Sustainable Malta’.

He also tells us that this report had a section on water and that the first two recommendations were: (a) enforcement of protective measures against contamination of the aquifers; (b) closer monitoring of private boreholes to enforce limits on water extraction and a clampdown on illegal extraction. The irony (and fact) of the matter is that I am the author of this report and that the recommendations are my own. Prof. Mallia is advised to look up the acknowledgements section of the report and confirm this claim.

I condemned (and advised against) the illegal extraction of groundwater then (in 1997) and I still do now. I also advise Prof. Mallia to refrain from any further personal attacks against me and make better use of his (and my) time.