Farmers will continue to receive sustainable quotas of free water for irrigation
The Government has launched a public consultation on new regulations on groundwater abstraction to introduce environmental measures to protect this important natural resource.
Minister for the Environment, Energy and Enterprise Miriam Dalli and Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Animal Rights Anton Refalo explained that the green paper that is being presented for public consultation is a determined step towards the conservation of groundwater as a critical natural resource for the sustainability of our country.
The green paper emphasises the importance of groundwater for the agricultural sector and proposes that farmers in Malta and Gozo continue to receive sufficient water supplies for efficient irrigation at no cost, as long as there is no wastage. Meanwhile, the document is proposing tariffs for domestic and commercial users of groundwater, to discourage unsustainable use of this resource.
The Energy and Water Agency (EWA) explained the regulations that are being proposed during a media briefing in the presence of the two ministers, and officials from other entities involved in the drafting of the green paper, including the Environment and Resources Authority, the Malta Resources Authority and the Water Services Corporation.
There are more than 7,700 boreholes and other similar groundwater extraction systems for agricultural, domestic and commercial purposes in Malta and Gozo.
Environment Minister Miriam Dalli explained that the Government’s vision is to put groundwater extraction on the path to sustainability. “In this regard we upheld a central principle to avoid creating burdens for the agricultural sector. In collaboration with the Agriculture Ministry, all agricultural operators that are currently using groundwater will continue to have a sufficient quota of free water.”
The Minister explained that EWA and other entities within the same Ministry will continue helping families and businesses adopt practices and technologies that increase water efficiency. EWA offers free water and energy audits for SMEs while larger companies can benefit from support schemes for these audits as well. Businesses will be able to implement the measures required to increase their energy and water efficiency through other support schemes offered by Malta Enterprise.
“To continue incentivising sustainable practices, we are proposing that companies that implement all measures identified in their audits will get a 25% rebate on their groundwater abstraction bills. The green paper also proposes that businesses that invest in environmental initiatives that promote water conservation also receive rebates on their water extraction tariffs,” Minister Dalli said.
Agriculture Minister Anton Refalo noted that around 80% of the private abstraction of groundwater is utilised by the agricultural sector. He said that the green paper is another initiative that shows how the Government listens and then proceeds with the necessary actions. “When speaking with farmers, they all mention the importance of groundwater for the irrigation of their crops. This green paper proposes the way forward for the utilisation of this resource, primarily by farmers. At the same time, this initiative will also help to inform people how to use water efficiently and sustainably, whilst avoiding wastage,” Minister Refalo explained.
EWA Chief Executive Officer Manuel Sapiano said that the feedback received during the public consultation will help Government draft legal notices to regulate groundwater abstraction, including a tariff that encourages efficient use of this resource. A regulatory framework on the required permitting processes will also be prepared. In this regard, permitting will be regulated by the Environment and Resources Authority (ERA).
The Water Services Corporation, which utilises groundwater to supply potable water to consumers in Malta and Gozo, is also implementing several projects and initiatives to support the regeneration of this source. It is increasing the production capacity of its reverse osmosis plants and is also investing in the provision of the New Water service for the agricultural sector. The Corporation is implementing a €25 million EU-funded project to extend New Water to another 350 farmers, while increasing its daily production of this reclaimed water by 6,000 cubic metres.
The Green Paper on the Regulation of Groundwater Abstraction in the Maltese Islands can be downloaded from era.org.mt or konsultazzjoni.gov.mt. The public consultation ends on Thursday, 18th January 2024.
Konsultazzjoni pubblika dwar proposti għall-ħarsien tal-ilma tal-pjan
Il-bdiewa ser jibqgħu jirċievu ammont sostenibbli t’ilma għat-tisqija bla ħlas
Il-Gvern nieda konsultazzjoni pubblika dwar regolamenti ġodda għall-użu tal-ilma tal-pjan, sabiex jiddaħħlu miżuri ambjentali għall-ħarsien ta’ dan ir-riżors naturali importanti.
Il-Ministru għall-Ambjent, l-Enerġija u l-Intrapriża Miriam Dalli u l-Ministru għall-Agrikoltura, is-Sajd u d-Drittijiet tal-Annimali Anton Refalo spjegaw li l-green paper imressqa għall-konsultazzjoni pubblika hija pass kuraġġuż lejn il-ħarsien tal-ilma tal-pjan bħala riżorsa naturali kruċjali għas-sostenibbiltà ta’ pajjiżna.
Il-green paper tisħaq fuq l-importanza tal-ilma tal-pjan għas-settur agrikolu u tipproponi li l-bdiewa f’Malta u Għawdex jibqgħu jirċievu l-ilma meħtieġ għat-tisqija mingħajr ħlas, sakemm ma jkunx hemm ħela. Fl-istess waqt, qed jiġi propost li jkun hemm tariffi għal dawk li jtellgħu l-ilma tal-pjan għall-użu kummerċjali jew domestiku, sabiex jiskoraġġixxu l-użu mhux sostenibbli ta’ dan ir-riżors.
L-Aġenzija għall-Enerġija u l-Ilma (EWA) tat dettalji dwar ir-regolamenti li qed jiġu proposti lill-ġurnalisti fil-preżenza taż-żewġ ministri, flimkien ma’ uffiċjali tal-Awtorità għall-Ambjent u r-Riżorsi, l-Awtorità Maltija għar-Riżorsi u l-Korporazzjoni għas-Servizzi tal-Ilma, li wkoll għenu fit-tfassil tal-green paper.
F’Malta u Għawdex hawn aktar minn 7,700 borehole, spieri jew sistemi oħra li jtellgħu l-ilma tal-pjan għal skopijiet agrikoli, kummerċjali jew domestiċi.
Il-Ministru Miriam Dalli spjegat li l-viżjoni tal-Gvern hi li l-estrazzjoni tal-ilma tkun waħda aktar sostenibbli. “Prinċipju ewlieni li mxejna fuqu huwa li ma noħolqux piżijiet għas-settur agrikolu. B’kollaborazzjoni mal-Ministeru għall-Agrikoltura, kull operatur tas-settur agrikolu li bħalissa juża l-ilma tal-pjan ser jibqa’ jkollu ammont t’ilma bla ħlas.”
Il-Ministru spjegat li EWA u entitajiet oħra fi ħdan il-Ministeru se jkomplu jgħinu lill-familji u n-negozji jadottaw prattiċi u teknoloġiji li jżidu l-effiċjenza fl-użu tal-ilma. EWA toffri servizzi ta’ audits fuq l-użu tal-ilma u l-enerġija b’xejn għan-negozji żgħar u medji. Għal negozji kbar hemm skemi t’għajnuna biex jagħmlu dawn l-audits ukoll. L-intrapriżi jkunu jistgħu jwettqu l-interventi meħtieġa għall-iffrankar tal-ilma u l-enerġija permezz ta’ skemi oħra t’għajnuna minn Malta Enterprise.
“Sabiex inkomplu ninċentivaw prattiċi sostenibbli, qed nipproponu li dawk l-intrapriżi li jwettqu l-miżuri kollha identifikati fl-audits, jingħataw skont ta’ 25% fuq il-kont tal-estrazzjoni tal-ilma tagħhom. Il-green paper tipproponi wkoll li dawk il-kumpaniji li jwettqu inizzjattivi ambjentali li jgħinu fil-konservazzjoni tal-ilma wkoll jingħataw tnaqqis fil-ħlasijiet għall-ilma li jestrattaw,” qalet il-Ministru Dalli.
Filwaqt li nnota kif kważi 80% tal-użu privat tal-ilma tal-pjan huwa fil-qasam agrikolu, il-Ministru Anton Refalo qal li dan huwa eżerċizzju ieħor li bih il-Gvern qed juri li filwaqt li jisma’, jaġixxi. “Meta nitkellmu mal-bdiewa, kollha jsemmu l-importanza tal-użu tal-ilma tal-pjan għat-tisqija tar-raba’ tagħhom. Din il-green paper tipproponi t-triq ’il quddiem għall-użu ta’ din ir-riżorsa, primarjament mill-bdiewa tagħna. Kif ukoll għandha l-għan li teduka kif l-ilma għandu jintuża b’mod sostenibbli filwaqt li titnaqqas il-ħela,” spjega l-Ministru Refalo.
Il-Kap Eżekuttiv ta’ EWA Manuel Sapiano qal li bit-tagħrif li se jinġabar waqt il-konsultazzjoni pubblika, il-Gvern ser ikun f’pożizzjoni li jabbozza avviż legali li jirregola l-proċess tal-estrazzjoni tal-ilma tal-pjan, inkluż tariffa li tinkoraġġixxi l-użu effiċjenti ta’ dan l-ilma. Fl-istess waqt ser jitħejja qafas regolatorju ta’ kif jinħarġu l-permessi rispettivi, li se jiġu regolati mill-Awtorità għall-Ambjent u r-Riżorsi (ERA).
Il-Korporazzjoni għas-Servizzi tal-Ilma, li tuża l-ilma tal-pjan għall-provvista tal-ilma lill-konsumaturi f’Malta u Għawdex, ukoll qed twettaq numru ta’ proġetti u inizjattivi biex tgħin fir-riġenerazzjoni ta’ dan is-sors importanti. Qed iżżid il-kapaċità ta’ produzzjoni mill-impjanti tar-reverse osmosis u qed tinvesti fis-servizz tan-New Water għas-settur agrikolu. Il-Korporazzjoni qed twettaq proġett ta’ €25 miljun, b’fondi Ewropej, biex testendi s-servizz tan-New Water għal aktar minn 350 bdiewa oħra, u żżid il-produzzjoni ta’ dan l-ilma riċiklat b’6,000 metru kubu kuljum.
Il-Green Paper dwar ir-Regolament tal-Estrazzjoni tal-Ilma tal-Pjan tista’ tinkiseb mis-siti era.org.mt u konsultazzjoni.gov.mt. Il-konsultazzjoni pubblika ser tibqa’ miftuħa sa nhar il-Ħamis, 18 ta’ Jannar 2024.