The Water Services Corporation is recommending that meters be installed to monitor water extracted from the public aquifer, as its continued use by the private sector has gradually driven up the price of tap water.

In a recent parliamentary debate, Infrastructure Minister Austin Gatt called for better monitoring of the uncontrolled use of underground water.

Replying to questions from The Sunday Times on measures being proposed, the ministry said:

"We are suggesting the monitoring (metering) of the amount of water being extracted from the water table by different parties, because we would at least know how much is being extracted and would therefore be able to plan the future use of the aquifer."

According to figures quoted in Parliament, there has been a 123 per cent rise in the average price per cubic metre of water over four years.

In 2006, 17.8 million cubic metres of water had been billed at an average €1.42 per cubic metre, rising to an average billing price of €3.23 for 17.5 million cubic metres in 2009 (refer below).

While the price of water is increasing, last year the corporation made considerable net savings of 20 per cent in electrical consumption following upgrades to the three reverse osmosis plants.

This reduced the cost of production of water from reverse osmosis plants from 5.8c to 4.7c per kilowatt-hour for the production of one cubic metre of water.

Extensive extraction of water from the underground aquifer for private use has diminished the quality and greatly reduced the availability of fresh water, driving up prices for the public because it has necessitated a greater reliance on expensive reverse osmosis plants.

The amount of water produced from desalination plants is 55 per cent of total production, which total €23.5 million, at an operating cost of €1.38 per cubic metre.

In contrast, the production cost for 45 per cent of total water produced from groundwater sources was €4.7 million.

"If the groundwater quality and quantity were to be higher, then the WSC would use more of it in their product mix. But it should be made clear that to increase the quantity extracted, the quality of the groundwater has to improve," the ministry added.

In a letter to The Times yesterday, a reader suggested that those who are "totally fed up with a disgraceful, out of date and overly expensive service" buy their own water from a private company. His suggestion came after he witnessed a bowser feeding a block of flats and the driver told him residents requested this service because the water was cheaper.

Bowsers supplying water at low cost do so because they extract groundwater from boreholes free of charge. But the use of such water carries health risks because of the high levels of nitrates in groundwater that exceed acceptable EU levels. Scientific studies have shown that nitrates have the potential to cause cancer.

Last year the massive extraction of water from the underground aquifer exceeded input, according to the Malta Resources Authority that is entrusted with the management of groundwater reserves.

In spite of the continued unsanctioned extraction of underground water, the resource remains unregulated. Last April, The Sunday Times revealed that some bottlers are extracting millions of litres of free water annually from the public underground aquifer.

In 2006, the tourism sector alone consumed an estimated 500,000 cubic metres of groundwater, according to The Malta Water Resources Review published by the Food and Agricultural Organisation of the United Nations.

The MRA said recent economic developments lead to additional pressure on groundwater: "Irrigated agriculture, the processing industry, commercial enterprise, and the high-end domestic sector make use of groundwater in an unregulated manner."

Two legal notices published last year had stipulated the notification of boreholes and introduced new regulations for drilling boreholes or for undertaking excavation works in the aquifer.

A one-year moratorium was also established prohibiting the drilling of new boreholes. No measures have been introduced to limit extraction of water for private use from existing boreholes.

Factbox: Increase in cost of water

2006 - Total production of 17.8 million cubic metres at €1.42 per cubic metre

2007 - Total production of 18.1 million cubic metres at €1.45 per cubic metre

2008 - Total production of 19.5 million cubic metres at €1.73 per cubic metre

2009 - Total production of 17.5 million cubic metres at €3.23 per cubic metre