Malta has the highest concentration of nitrates in its ground and surface waters among the 27 EU member states, according to a report issued by the European Commission.
Most of the island's groundwater resources - more than 70 per cent, compared to the EU's average of 15 per cent - were found to have higher concentrations of nitrates than the 50mg per litre permitted by the EU. The same situation applies to surface waters, which consist mainly of reservoirs. More than 40 per cent of the water stored in these reservoirs were found to be over the limit compared to three per cent in the EU.
The report is based on the nitrates' directive and its data cover the period 2004 to 2007.
Contamination of water resources by nitrates is normally caused by farmers' use of too much fertilisers, which seep through the soil directly into the water table.
"We are quite worried about Malta's results," a Commission official said yesterday.
"The island is highly dependable on groundwater and the fact there is such a high concentration of nitrates in its water resources shows farming is not being controlled at all."
Pesticides were definitely the main cause and this was dangerous for humans, plants and animals, the official said.
Malta's groundwater resources are already very limited and under threat through the rampant abuse of illegal boreholes.
Although the government has tried to control the situation in the past years, abuse is still the order of the day.
The EU's report, the first which includes new member states, shows Malta is not alone in having nitrate-polluted water, even though its concentrations are much higher than the EU average.
Other countries with similar problems include Cyprus, France, Italy and the UK. However, the Commission said on the whole the situation was improving in many parts of Europe.
The report shows that between 2004 and 2007 just 15 per cent of groundwater monitoring stations in the EU-27 found nitrate levels above the limit of 50mg of nitrates per litre.
On the other hand, 66 per cent reported levels below 25m per litre. Trends in concentrations were only assessed for the old member states, where two-thirds of monitoring stations reported steady or falling levels of nitrates.
While being a vital nutrient that helps plants and crops to grow, high concentrations are harmful to people and nature. The agricultural use of nitrates in organic and chemical fertilisers has been a major source of water pollution in Europe. Generally, farming remains responsible for more than 50 per cent of the total discharge into surface waters.