Malta’s Drinking Water Crisis Makes It To Euronews, With Experts Pitching In

Malta’s supply of drinking water supply is under threat from climate change, with average temperatures rising by 1.5°C since 1952 and rainfall becoming more inconsistent, leading to a reduction in groundwater volume.

World Bank research from 2021 projects that Malta will lose some 16% of its groundwater through climate change and rising sea levels over the next 80 years.

This phenomenon recently made it to Euronews, which discussed it with hydrologist Marco Cremona and University of Malta Earth Systems lecturer Charles Galdies.

“Water is a finite source. If we exploit it as if there’s no tomorrow, the [water] reserve we’re sitting on will soon dry up,” Cremona said.

Galdies said that climate change has pushed the country’s average temperature up by 1.5°C since 1952 and rainfall has become inconsistent. He said that while a recent Maltese storm dumped 140.40 mm of rain in a single day, these tend to be isolated incidents between extended periods of drought.

However, while climate change is a major factor, Cremona also referred to other factors such as illegal over-extraction to sustain agriculture, batching plants, tourism strains, and intensive construction.

“When combining all of these factors, climate change will speed up things,” he said.

The hydrologist expressed scepticism over Malta relying wholly on reverse osmosis plants, warning doing so comes with strategic risks, such as deliberate sabotage and oil spills.

Researchers recently discovered offshore fresh groundwater beneath the archipelago’s seafloor that could sustain the islands for 75 years, but extracting the water would be costly and may not be practical for long-term water security.

Improvements in the country’s water distribution system have been made in recent years, but nearly 40% of non-revenue water is still being lost through leaks.

Meanwhile, the Maltese Energy & Water Agency is encouraging citizens to reduce their water consumption through education and awareness campaigns.