Joseph Muscat, 'Metering water extracted by industry not the only solution'

Labour leader Joseph Muscat visits General Soft Drinks, bottler and producer of table water and says metering water extracted from boreholes is not the sole solution.

13 April 2012, 12:00am
by Miriam Dalli

1 min read

Opposition leader Joseph Muscat said a comprehensive plan for the preservation of water needs to be implemented

During a visit to General Soft Drinks, the Opposition leader Joseph Muscat stressed that metering the water extracted from boreholes by companies producing mineral water is not the solution.

He explained that "a comprehensive plan needs to be in place which includes metering, re-use and preservation of resources."

Muscat added that only 0.1% of the total water extracted from boreholes is used by companies producing and bottling beverages.

General Soft Drinks bottles Coca-Cola and produces Kristal table water. Muscat said that 50% of the water used for the bottled water comes from boreholes, while the other 50% comes is provided by the Water Services Corporation. Muscat said that General Soft Drinks treats the water provided by WSC and "this is something that deserves appreciation."

He also pointed out that a national water conservation plan must be implemented in order to conserve water, re-use water which currently ends up in the sea and replenish aquifers.

During the visit, the company's general manager, Maria Micallef said that General Soft Drinks recognises the importance of making sustainable use of natural resources.

She explained that Coca-Cola international have given General Soft Drinks a grant of €560,000 which will be used to safeguard and upgrade a number of water reservoirs in Gozo. The fund is administered by an international NGO, Global Water Partnership Mediterranean.

Micallef added that the beverage industry is the only sector which comes under fire over the extraction of water and said that the easiest thing to do is to "tax the industry for extracting water".

She insisted that "all industries should be treated fairly."

Miriam Dalli joined MaltaToday.com.mt in 2010 becoming assistant editor f...

More from Miriam Dalli

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Joe, not only metered but charged heavily to make them set up their own reverse osmosis plants. Why should I and the rest of the people subsidize the bottling companies to earn millions at our expense? No Joe, make them set up their own reverse osmosis. They are to blame for the dire situation our water supply is in due to massive extraction for bottled water and soft drinks.

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Oops! You skidded on a banana skin here Dr Muscat. Charging all users of potable water would be equitable with all citizens. Why should I subsidise all manufacturers of fizzy and bottled water, when it is proven that imported drinks are far cheaper and maybe better. This smacks of extra, excessive profits and calls for a windfall tax, not subsidies. I am sure the EU is unaware of these subsidies. Of course charge all other industrial users. But two wrongs do not make a right. Sharing the burden would surely reduce the massive W&E bills suffered by ordinary consumers.

Luke Camilleri •

The way forward : ) ------------------------------- He also pointed out that a national water conservation plan must be implemented in order to conserve water, re-use water which currently ends up in the sea and replenish aquifers.