Students in call for urgent action on Malta's water scarcity problem

University student organisations have urged the government to develop a national water policy and dedicate more funds to research to address Malta’s growing water scarcity problem.

The policy document – published by the University Students’ Council (KSU) – warns that climate change is leading to a gradual decline in rainfall in Malta, with practically no rainfall at all for the winter of 2014-15, piling on stress on the aquifers and the reverse osmosis systems. Malta has already been ranked as one of the top ten water scarce countries in the world, and one of only six EU member states who use as much as 20% of their long-term water supplies every year.

In their document, the KSU urged the government to set up a research fund to stimulate water research – including on drought-induced environmental damage, desertification of the land, and the carbon footprint that is being produced with the increased demand and consumption of water.

They also suggested capping the cost of bottled water in the summertime, promoting the use of xeriscaping, placing water collection systems within and around private property, allowing space during construction for water to percolate into the rock system, and ensuring that soil is covered in netting as much as possible so as to reduce water.

Moreover, they urged the government to conduct several marketing plans and educational campaigns on responsible water use, as well as promoting water-saving technologies by setting an example in government institutions.

“Malta has grown and adapted to a large number of issues and problems, eventually overcoming them and creating new standards. Once again, we stand at an impasse where we need to take action on something that is absolutely vital for our country,” the report reads. “Our action on freshwater availability on out islands must be swift and directly acting on the problems we are facing, so as to make sure that we will not end up in a scenario where we end up without water supplied and start trying to provide it there and then.”