Underground water 'threat' approved by Mepa

An application to construct a concrete brick factory on a site within the Groundwater Protection Zone is being regarded as a threat to the national water resource by Flimkien Għal Ambjent Aħjar (FAA).

Such a move would constitute a risk of groundwater contamination, FAA warned in a statement yesterday, particularly as no Environment Impact Assessment has been carried out.

"This exemption from an EIA will result in a concrete batching plant being constructed exactly on top of our unlined drinking water galleries at Ta' Kandja, which are used to provide potable water in our taps," said an FAA spokesman.

The Ta' Kandja underground galleries consist of over six kilometres of underground channels 100 metres below ground level, which were built 45 years ago to supply pure drinking water to the nation.

Although this application overlies the Siġġiewi galleries downstream of Ta' Kandja pumping station, it has been cleared of the need of an EIA, FAA claimed.

The risk is acknowledged by the Malta Environment and Planning Authority in an exemption to EIA regulations approved by the director of environment protection where unsubstantiated measures to reduce the risk are being used to fast-track the permit, the NGO said.

The pumping station is not equipped with a real-time monitor for hydrocarbons, so any leaching from the site into the potable water supply will go undetected.

FAA maintains that where the national drinking water supplies are concerned, nothing short of proof beyond all doubt of the effectiveness of mitigation measures can be accepted.

Given the usage and extent of operations at the quarry involving potential hydrocarbon-diesel contaminants, FAA asked what type of monitoring Mepa had in mind for protection from a potential health hazard.

"The implications for public health issues arising from a possible contamination of water at Ta' Kandja pumping station cannot be quantified, not to mention the potential financial loss that may run into millions of euros, in which case one asks whether any financial guarantees are in place to make good for such a loss."

FAA said it is highly irresponsible of the Malta Resources Authority to rubber-stamp this threat to the public water supply, which would make it possible for undetected oil leaks to end up in our drinking water.

It said it was also unacceptable that Mepa should exempt this development application from an EIA, when it is evident that the proposed development is a direct threat to public health.