Public borehole used by private company

For the past few years, ground water extracted from a borehole owned by the Civil Protection Department in Hal Far was used to top up a swimming pool used for ‘fire and safety’ training by the private company ISTC – a subsidiary of security firm Alberta.

During the summer months, the pool is topped up by water pumped from the borehole at least once a week.

While the CPD denies knowledge of any agreement enabling the company to use free ground water from its borehole, a spokesperson for ISTC told MaltaToday that the authorities were aware of the use of the borehole to the extent that the company paid for the maintenance of the borehole in question.

When contacted, Patrick Murgo – Director of the Civil Protection Department – claimed that he is “not aware of any agreement between the two parties for the company to use groundwater for filling the training pool.”

But he confirmed the existence of a formal agreement with the company to operate from the Fire Fighting Training Grounds at Hal Far belonging to the Department of Civil Protection.

He also revealed that the CPD has started to investigate the matter.

“From our end, actions have been taken forthwith to stop the operator from executing this practice further.”

Contacted by this newspaper, ISTC Managing Director David Ghersci explained that the borehole is mainly used by the CPD to fill its bowsers, and only a small percentage of this water is used by ISTC to “top up” its training pool. 

Although he could not remember whether a formal agreement with the CPD existed to regulate this activity, he recalls “a verbal agreement” with the CPD dating back to a number of years, through which the CPD allowed the company to make use of the borehole.

He also confirmed that the borehole, which lies between the CPD office and the facilities rented by ISTC, is highly visible and that ISTC pays for its maintenance.

Photos taken by this newspaper can confirm the visibility of the borehole and pipes linking the borehole to  the pool.

Ghersci also insisted that the company indirectly pays for the use of the water extracted from the borehole.

“We do not have any invoices for the water we extract from the borehole, but this must be seen in the bigger picture of a decade old collaboration between the company and the CPD.”

He explained that since 2000, the company has been paying a lease for the use of CPD facilities in Hal Far.

Apart from paying the annual ground rent, the CPD is paid a percentage on each training course conducted by the company.

“It is in the CPD’s interest that we train more people in our pool as they receive a  percentage on the fee charged for the organisation every training course we conduct”.

When asked why the company does not buy the water from a private supplier to fill its training pool, Ghersci explained that the company used the borehole simply for the sake of convenience.

“It does not cost much to pay a private bowser. The only difference is that by using a  nearby borehole, we do not have to make appointments and wait for the water to be delivered.”

But Ghersci was categorical in condemning unsustainable extraction of scarce ground water resources, acknowledging that the depletion of groundwater sources is a problem in the country.

“We only use a fraction of this water to top the training facilities. These facilities are also used by the CPD and for the training of its volunteers. One cannot equate this to exploiting water for commercial purposes”.

Asked whether the pool had to be topped up on a weekly basis because the pool leaks water due to structural problems, he replied that if there are leaks these are “small.”

“The pool has to be topped up like any other pool due to evaporation and loss of water due to splashing while people are receiving their training”.

ISTC provides fire and safety training for personnel employed mainly with international, regional and national oil and gas companies operating onshore or offshore.

The government is presently installing meters on private boreholes with the intention of controlling ground water extraction. The over-extraction of water from boreholes has contributed to increased salinity levels in ground water. Experts warn that if extraction from boreholes is not controlled, groundwater would become too salty to be used for irrigation.