A Strategic Path to Water Sustainability in Malta
Non-conventional water resources need to increasingly become an integral part of Malta’s water management framework, as part of the vision for the future of water in the island. This vision of sustainability is the way forward to ensure the country is better prepared against the challenges faced in this sector, particularly posed by climate change. Malta has a history of success through the application of desalination and water reuse solutions which are two important pillars sustaining groundwater resources to ensure Malta’s water security.
This year’s National Water Conference focused on Non-Conventional Water Resources for Water Resilience. The conference will also reflect on the implementation of key government manifesto measures. These include the continued investment in national sea-water desalination and New Water plants as well as planned support schemes for coastal tourism establishments to invest in energy efficient desalination technologies. Additionally the launch of a public consultation process on greywater reuse applications in the urban, commercial and tourism sectors was discussed.
Manuel Sapiano, CEO of the Energy and Water Agency, whilst thanking WSC and the University of Malta for their support in the organisation of the conference, highlighted the efforts done throughout the years to diversify Malta’s water supply resources and improve water use efficiency.
“The role of this conference is not that of looking backwards, but more that of looking forward and see how we can further challenge ourselves to further develop our water sector. With Climate Change, the challenges facing the water sector will only increase, and therefore we need to continually optimise our water management framework.” stated Manuel Sapiano, Chief Executive Officer at the Energy and Water Agency.
Minister for the Environment, Energy and Public Cleanliness, Miriam Dalli highlighted the importance of these discussions aligning with the European Commission’s Water Resilience Initiative, that is an ambitious effort that must tie to the challenge of water management in a changing climate.
“Malta’s approach—balancing water demand management, supply diversification, and the Water-Energy-Food-Ecosystems Nexus—serves as a model of resilience. We look to the EU to develop robust support frameworks that will help countries like ours strengthen their resilience, and in turn, we stand ready to contribute our expertise to this initiative,” remarked Minister Dalli.
The conference organised by the Energy and Water Agency brought together international experts in the field that were able to provide a different perspective to solutions for similar challenges. This helps in broadening the discussion on new, innovative solutions that could optimise Malta’s water management strategies.
This year’s National Water Conference, included the signing ceremony of the fifth phase of the Alteraqua Programme, which will look into the promotion of greywater reuse in Malta, as an opportunity for increasing water use efficiency in the urban, commercial and tourism sectors. The €500,000 project will seek to understand public perception through the undertaking of nation-wide surveys, developing and undertaking an information programme/campaign to address these perceptions and present greywater reuse as a safe practice, as well as finance four pilot projects on the application of greywater reuse in Malta.
The Alteraqua Programme is intended to promote Non-Conventional Water Resources for increasing water resilience in Mediterranean Islands, and is managed by Global Water Partnership – Mediterranean and financed by The Coca Cola Foundation (represented in Malta by General Soft Drinks Ltd).
