The government should fully implement the recently revised EU Drinking Water Directive and take a leading role to harmonise best practices, Partit Demokratiku said on Wednesday.

It said in a statement it was high time the government followed its obligations and saw to the needs of Malta's growing population by addressing the water problem.

This had to be done through a tangible education programme on use, re-use and recycling of water, and by fast forwarding the implementation programme of new water regeneration, so that it was beneficially used for industry and agriculture and to recharge the underground supply.

The government's promised €700 million on infrastructure upgrades had to be used with a mind to addressing the water problem.

“Rainwater is currently swept into the sea, usually taking soil along with it and eroding our environment. Therefore water catchment is a priority, and storm water culverts must direct their water into valleys instead of into the sea,” PD said.

These measures, it said, were a basic necessity and had to form a part of a larger strategy to address the water crisis.

New building developments, it said, had to abide by the need to channel rainwater into cisterns and reservoirs.

“The Partit Demokratiku intends to address the water problem as is necessary, putting the good of the public as its first priority rather than fishing for votes,” it said.