Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1514428
maltatoday | SUNDAY • 14 JANUARY 2024 6 INTERVIEW Ground water: Pay today to save for tomorrow GROUND water which is mostly con- tained in aquifers floating on sea water is a collective resource which has so far been abstracted free of charge by both farmers and commercial operators. The only two major steps taken by the State so far were two registration schemes carried out in 1997 and 2008, which gave the owners of around 8,000 boreholes and shallow wells (spieri) a once in a lifetime chance to regularise their position. Sub- sequently nearly 4,000 boreholes were metered but water from these sources was never billed. But a Green Paper issued for public con- sultation last week proposes an unprece- dented tariff system based on the volumes abstracted from the water table. The new tariff will be used as a stick, but the Green Paper also includes incentives in the forms of quotas and rebates which can act as car- rots, to help shift farmers and commercial operators to a more sustainable use of wa- ter sources. Manuel Sapiano, CEO of the Malta Wa- ter and Energy Agency, insists the best way forward is to convince farmers and commercial operators whose livelihood depends on abstracting ground water, that protecting this resource is also in their best interest. He argues that the goal of the Green Paper is not to stop ground water abstraction but to protect those who use this resource in an efficient manner. "We want to explain to those involved that it is in their own self-interest that ground water is used responsibly," he tells me. The consequences of over abstraction are not immediately noticeable as it does not result in any changes in ground water levels, but Sapiano warns that over time this fresh water is becoming saltier and less suitable for irrigation. Protecting Malta's ground water is his job. Manuel Sapiano argues it is in the best interest of everyone that this resource is used judiciously. The CEO of the Energy and Water Agency sits down with JAMES DEBONO. We calculate that it costs a farmer between 25 cents and 40 cents per cubic metre. This means that the less ground water they abstract, the more money they save.