Reducing Malta's dependency on groundwater extraction and increasing the use of highly-filtered urban wastewater are among the objectives of a draft water management plan that is now out for public consultation.

The draft plan is driven by the need to bring Malta's water catchement plans, known as the third river basin management plan, in line with the EU’s Water Framework Directive. It covers the period 2021 to 2027. 

It seeks to increase efficiency in water distribution by cutting water losses within the distribution network and to increase the volumes of wastewater that are treated to create third-class water for agriculture, dubbed 'new water'.  

Urban wastewater is currently treated at three separate plants across the country, although one of those plants, in Mellieħa, is currently out of action due to a spike in sewage. 

Environment Minister Aaron Farrugia, who launched the plan together with Energy Minister Michael Farrugia, made no reference to any plans to develop new polishing plants to cater for the country's increasing population.

Environment Minister Aaron Farrugia speaks as Energy Minister Michael Farrugia looks on. Photo: Keith Micallef

New card system for farmers to obtain 'new water' 

Farrugia announced that the government was in the process of changing the card system used by farmers to receive new water, after it transpired that system was being abused.

The minister also said that suggestions sent in during the plan's public consultation period would also be reviewed from a cost-effective perspective.

Plans to replenish the water table through water collected from the flood relief project inaugurated some years ago, for instance, turned out to be unfeasible due to the exorbitant cost to filter the water, Farrugia said. 

Malta is considered to be a country with high levels of water scarcity and the EU's environmental watchdog has warned of "significant problems" with the country's groundwater supplies.

Environment Resources Agency official Darren Stevens warned that Malta will increasingly face climate change challenges such as prolonged periods of drought followed by severe flooding. He said it was crucial to mitigate this impact through afforestation projects which limit flooding and facilitate management of urban surface waters.

Asked about monitoring groundwater extraction, Energy and Water Agency CEO Manuel Sapiano noted that most agricultural boreholes have been metered since 2012. In most cases farmers are using water in a wise manner, but whenever excessive amounts of extraction are observed action is taken and inspections carried out. 

Sapiano welcomed the growing trend by hotels to replenish their freshwater swimming pools through their own reverse osmosis plants, saying this was much more cost-effective and less energy-intensive than relying on water bowsers to refill them.

Submissions concerning the water management plan can be made until February 19, 2021 by emailing energywateragency@gov.mt.

The draft document can be downloaded online.