Second-class water plans wins Business Bureau approval

The Chamber of Commerce's business bureau has welcomed plans by the government to replenish groundwater sources through the better use of second-class water.

Water audits carried out over the past few weeks by the Malta Business Bureau's EU LIFE+ 'Investing in Water' project showed that the use of second-class water can significantly reduce overall water consumption.

The latest such water audit was at the Paradise Bay Hotel, where a grey-water unit reduced the hotel's consumption by an estimated 35%. Grey water units recycle waste water from showers and wash hand-basins into second-class water, used in the flushing of toilets.

The unit has helped the four-star hotel use less first-class water per guest night than the average three-star hotel in Malta.

"Several hotels and factories have already taken the initiative to collect rainwater or internally recycle and use treated waste-water as second-class water. More enterprises would adopt such systems if a national policy facilitating the implementation of in-house recycling units and rainwater harvesting was adopted. This could result in many thousands of tons of potable water being saved every year by Malta's businesses and hotels," project manager Geoffrey Saliba.

Saliba said such a policy would contribute directly to easing pressure on Malta's groundwater bodies.

Tap water supplied by the Water Services Corporation is a 45% groundwater and 55% reverse-osmosis water mix, with groundwater being additionally relied upon predominantly by the agricultural sector.

The latest NSO publication shows that in 2012 at least 59% more groundwater was extracted than is sustainable. Extraction has also increased by 3.4% every year since 2004: the result of over-extraction is increased salinity and hence deteriorating quality of remaining groundwater reserves.

Hydrologist Marco Cremona said the gradual substitution of first-class water with second-class water "where appropriate, will result in a reduction of first-class water demand. This will reduce stress on the aquifers and dependence on Reverse Osmosis production, less flooding and a reduced load on the municipal sewage treatment plants."

The MBB's EU LIFE+ Investing in Water Project is carrying out a programme of water audits until November 2013. Information gained through the water audits is the most detailed picture of water consumption by industry available nationally. Following the conclusion of this programme a report will be presented to government and national authorities detailing how policy can facilitate increased water conservation in Malta.