GSD Marketing Ltd: Water is essential to our environment, beverages and communities

As individuals and organisations around the globe come together to recognise World Water Day, there is a renewed emphasis on our collective duty to not only respect but actively safeguard our invaluable water resources. Water remains a core element for the sustained success of our industry as well as for the vitality of the communities we serve, bearing significance far beyond being a primary component in refreshing beverages. It's time we address this crucial issue with the urgency and commitment it deserves.

At the heart of our environmental stewardship is a comprehensive water strategy - a pledge to ensure sustainable water security. This is executed through various robust initiatives, including localised water replenishment projects, advocacy for intelligent water policies and a commitment to responsible water management across our operational processes and within the communities we call home.

One example of such commitment is the Alter Aqua Programme, a visionary project launched in November 2011 to combat the pressing issue of water scarcity in the Maltese Islands. Its mission is not only to mitigate the challenges but also to foster sustainable practices to conserve freshwater resources. Spearheaded by the NGO Global Water Partnership Mediterranean, the programme has since expanded from its initial focus area, Gozo, to encompass Malta, with the Energy and Water Agency coming on board as a strategic partner in 2014.

In its 13 years, the Alter Aqua programme has made substantial strides, with more than 25 sites benefiting from its interventions and a considerable investment of $1.4 million from The Coca-Cola Foundation. The initial phases concentrated on augmenting water availability by employing innovative rainwater harvesting and the use of greywater, coupled with a thorough campaign to educate the public on the essentials of judicious water consumption and conservation.

The programme's subsequent phases pivoted towards the revival of Malta's historic water reserves. A remarkable achievement in this effort is the refurbishment of a large rainwater reservoir within San Anton Palace's grounds. Once inactive for three decades, the reservoir, capable of holding over one million litres, now sustains the palace’s iconic orange groves. The ripple effect of such initiatives can be seen with the restoration of two water reservoirs in Birgu, three in Kalkara and one at Rinella - reinstating these sites as life-serving resources for irrigation and landscaping around historical landmarks. All these initiatives contribute to over 19 million litres of water saved on an annual basis.

Moving forward, the programme has outlined ambitious objectives, including the restoration of additional reservoirs in Birgu and a reservoir in Pieta, ensuring the collected water therein supports landscaping requirements and provides alternate water sources for the related facilities.

Another program which GSD Marketing Ltd implements is the Zero Waste HoReCa program, implemented in collaboration with the AKTI Research Centre and also funded by The Coca-Cola Foundation, which has been nothing short of transformative. Through the engagement of 100 HoReCa businesses, the program saved over 53 million litres of water by installing water aerators and implementing other strategic water-saving measures 

These laudable efforts encapsulate the essence of World Water Day - a day where we reaffirm our responsibility to the most vital of our natural resources and underscore the significance of unified actions to secure a sustainable water future for all.