Some 170 farmers in the Mellieħa area who have started using treated sewage – or ‘new water’ – for irrigation are reporting better produce.

Energy and Water Minister Joe Mizzi visited the site yesterday and met with farmers who have been using water from the plant at Iċ-Ċumnija since the summer.

“New water has been purified from drainage plants to such a level that farmers are seeing a positive impact on the quality of their produce,” Mr Mizzi told the Times of Malta.

It is minimising aquifer strain from boreholes and poor rainfall

“This is encouraging other farmers to start using this water, and we are now expecting demand to increase such that we may need to revise our plans to keep up.” The minister added that by using new water, farmers were minimising the strain on the aquifer that is caused by borehole extraction – exacerbated by the poor rainfall of the last three years – and helping the aquifer to replenish over time.

James Vella, a local farmer, said the quality of the water had made a marked impact on his produce, and that the technology had also helped to stave off the worst effects of the dry spell.

Since the opening of the Mellieħa plant, registered full-time and part-time farmers can apply to the Water Services Corporation to tap the treated effluent for their fields, and a substantial initial amount is provided to them free of charge.

During the rainy winter season, when demand is low, the new water will be treated to a higher standard and used to recharge the aquifer.

Water ministry officials said the normal rates for new water would be cheaper than borehole extraction, and that farmers would be assured of standard quality, which was above Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) standards.

A second plant at Ras il-Ħobż, Gozo, close to Mġarr ix-Xini, is currently undergoing final testing, while a third is planned at Ta’ Barkat, near Xgħajra.