Water Scarcity policy

ABSTRACT This document relates to the problems with regards to water scarcity on a global, european, and national level. This report urges the need for

WATER POLICY

water conservation, along with a list of suggestions to be tackled on an individual basis,

KPS Policy Document

as well as within the community and as a nation. Social Policy Commission 16/17

Contents Introduction ................................................................................................................................................ 5 International Situation .............................................................................................................................. 6 United Nations ...................................................................................................................................... 6 Millennium Development Goals ................................................................................................. 7 European Union ................................................................................................................................... 8 Water Framework Directive (WFD, 2000/60/EC) ................................................................. 9 Breaking down the problem ........................................................................................................... 11 Case Studies ........................................................................................................................................ 12 California .......................................................................................................................................... 12 Africa .................................................................................................................................................. 13 Malta: Slowly drying out......................................................................................................................... 14 The problems we face ..................................................................................................................... 14 Fresh Water Aquifers ........................................................................................................................ 16 Dry and Wet Seasons ....................................................................................................................... 19 Water Management .......................................................................................................................... 20 Legal Perspective: ................................................................................................................................... 21 Resolution of the Situation .................................................................................................................... 23 1.

Preamble ...................................................................................................................................... 23

Responsible Consumption ..................................................................................................... 24

Research & Development ...................................................................................................... 26

Economic Impact...................................................................................................................... 28

National Policy ........................................................................................................................... 29

Concluding Remarks .............................................................................................................................. 31 References ................................................................................................................................................ 32 Task Force ................................................................................................................................................. 33 Endorsements .......................................................................................................................................... 34

"if the wars of this century were fought over oil, the wars of the next century will be fought over water -- unless we change our approach to managing this precious and vital resource" - Ismail Serageldin

Introduction Water scarcity is already an issue on all four corners of the planet, with around a fifth of the human population worldwide living in areas of physical scarcity of water. To quantify, that would be almost 1.2 billion people living without guaranteed access to fresh water daily. Apart from this, another 1.6 billion do have access and live in areas with enough fresh water, however live in an urban environment that does not have the necessary sanitation infrastructure to supply the water they require need. A problem of increasing concern that our society is facing today, particularly in a country like Malta, is the yearly decrease in the amount of rainfall. Hence, the amount of water available to us as a natural resource which is available for use, is decreasing. This has led to a greater reliance on the already stressed aquifers and the reverse osmosis systems. This system is quite energy-intensive a process and an increased dependence on it is therefore not favourable. There are many areas for improvement that could improve the situation we are in and in this report seeks to identify potential changes and situations that if tackled could contribute to an improved scenario. The document will analyse research being carried out locally and internationally, taking in foreign perspectives from both developed and under-developed contexts, to understand how these can plug into the Maltese scene. The document will conclude with a list of resolutions that could be implemented at our university and adapted by companies and corporations for their own use to reduce the damage to our environment. Further, it will also include a number of suggestions aimed for government implementation that, on a national scale, could alleviate the damage of the change in climate both to our local flora and fauna, as well as to the cultural heritage to our descendants.

International Situation Considering what has been done in other countries and states to that have faced or are currently facing a long term drought, we aim to be able to identify the comparisons and learn from the successes and shortcomings of others, so as not to contribute any further to the current situation of concern.

United Nations Before looking at the individual states, it would be prudent to see what the United Nations has done in the past decade, which they have called

cade for Action

-2015). The UN-Water Decade Programme on Capacity Development. The United Nations University in Bonn, Germany hosted (UNW-DPC). The aim was to strengthen the coherence and effectiveness of capacity development activities in the framework of the Decade. The United Nations Office to Support the International Decade for Action 'Water for Life' 2005-2015 (UNO-IDfA) / UN-Water Decade Programme on Advocacy and Communication [4]

(UNW-DPAC)] was opened in Zaragoza, Spain, and led by the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA). UNO-IDfA/UNW-DPAC facilitates information, implements communication and raises awareness in the framework of the Decade.

Millennium Development Goals This decade had a set of Millennium Development Goals which were the following as stated by the United Nations: 

MDG 1: Access to water for domestic and productive uses (agriculture, industry, and other economic activities) has a direct impact on poverty and food security.



MDG 2: Incidence of catastrophic but often recurrent events, such as droughts, interrupts educational attainment.

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MDG 3: Access to water, in particular in conditions of scarce resources, has important gender related implications, which affects the social and economic capital of women in terms of leadership, earnings and networking opportunities.

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MDGs 4 and 5: Equitable, reliable water resources management programmes reduce poor people's vulnerability to shocks, which in turn gives them more secure and fruitful livelihoods to draw upon in caring for their children.

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MDG 6: Access to water, and improved water and wastewater management in human settlements, reduce transmission risks of mosquito-borne illnesses, such as malaria and dengue fever.

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MDG 7: Adequate treatment of wastewater contributes to less pressure on freshwater resources, helping to protect human and environmental health.

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MDG 8: Water scarcity increasingly calls for strengthened international cooperation in the fields of technologies for enhanced water productivity, financing opportunities, and an improved environment to share the benefits of scarce water management.

European Union Historically, availability of water for citizens of the sub-continent has rarely, if ever, been a problematic issue. Contemporarily, however the scenario has changed, with water becoming a growing concern for almost half of the pollution of the EU since the changes occurring on a global level are causing considerable damage to our environment. Water distribution is uneven due to different climates and numerous geographical situations that have been contributing to the shortage of water distribution of in previous years. This is being stressed further by an increase in human activity. Tourism, for instance, is growing at a rate that requires a larger demand of water supplies, leading to large areas undergoing significant desertification, or even to saltwater intrusion of aquifers resulting near the coast. With 11% of the population and 17% of the European territory being affected directly by water scarcity it is a rather increasing and worrying phenomenon that since the early 1980s been noted with the increase in the droughts. With the economic impact of an estimated 100 billion euros over the past 30 years, such a cost is only set to rise higher, as the changes in the climate are causing strange weather patterns with visible changes in the climate of a number of countries. The main problems facing the European Union's leaders in relation to this issue are the

that the problem growing. Currently, it is estimated that 20-40% of the European water is being wasted though faulty and old infrastructure, among numerous other causes. The focus EU water policy has been on the rise with the culmination of the Blueprint to

2012. This was compiled as a method of pointing out the need for a clear and long-term plan for the future of water reserves of the European Union. With this document, the commission addressed all of the water users as well all of the interactions that the water had 8

with the economy, land and energy usage, urging the need for the cooperation between the industry, agriculture, tourism, urban development and energy production to be managed with a sustainable attitude towards water.

Water Framework Directive (WFD, 2000/60/EC) The Water Framework Directive (WFD, 2000/60/EC) is the principal legislative instrument for protecting water resources in the EU. Adopted in 2000, it a all water bodies in Europe and to prevent any further deterioration. In order to reach this ambitious goal, the WFD requires EU member states to manage water at hydrological units, to prepare strategic River Basin Management Plans (RBMP) and more operational Programmes of Measures (PoM) and, while doing so, to engage with stakeholders and the wider public. Exemptions are the thorn in the side of the WFD. Exemption clauses are present in the WFD alongside environmental objectives. They enable member states to delay the achievement of good water status up to twelve years [1], to abandon the overall accomplishment of good

further major source of concern for many. Although they may seem desirable in specific cases, her

Problematically, member states poorly justify the use of exemptions. Applications for exemptions usually lack information on methods, decision criteria, and underlying assumptions as well as economic data and analyses. When information is provided, Europewide comparisons suffer from the fact that countries seem to use very different techniques to establish cases for exemptions. For example, exemptions granted due to disproportionate

costs rely on methods as diverse as cost benefit analysis (CBA), ability-to-pay, financial impacts or distributional effects. The framework directive incorporates all requirements for water management into one single system with the goal to achieve a good status of ground and surface waters meeting standards established in existing environmental protection directives and the ecological standards. The directive amongst other thing, sets new rules for groundwater where all direct discharges to groundwater are prohibited and a requirements is introduced to monitor groundwater bodies so as to detect changes in composition due to diffuse pollution and take measures to reverse them. A particular provision that has encountered serious reactions i pricing by which member states are asked to ensure that the price charged to all water consumers (public and producers( reflects the true costs of the service. Full pricing is considered as a basis for water conservation and water-use efficiency. The directive, according to the subsidiarity principle sets the objectives to be fulfilled by MS (meaning good quality of waters), defining the organisational structure and the mechanisms (existing legislation) to achieve them, thus satisfying the call for simplification and deregulation of the existing legislative picture proved in many MS as difficult to comprehend, not to mention implement.

Breaking down the problem Since we are discussing water scarcity we must first understand what it is and how it is calculated, hence we would then be able to classify the problem better. This is usually assessed by hydrologists, in three levels. The first level would be water stress, this would mean that there is less than 1,700m of fresh 3

water per person annually. Followed by water scarcity which is below the 1,000m and then 3

the last and direct level is that of absolute scarcity which is at 500m . 3

Meaning that there is a correlation between the amount of users and the availability of the water supply present. This of course is excluding a large number of factors from the calculation however, one tries and simplify as much as possible so as to be able to come with basic solutions as we are to go along.

Case Studies California Famously California has been suffering from a long term drought due to the reduced rain -billion-dollar agricultural industry has been a prime example to the US what short term targets have been doing to the Colorado basin from the endless overuse and exploitation of the environment. This problem has now entered into its 18 year with the victims being the people of California th

and the other states which find themselves in the Colorado River basin. This includes Wyoming, New Mexico, Utah, Nevada, Arizona and Colorado apart from the current dire situation that is hitting California. With over 40 million people being directly affected by this water shortage, one can imagine the scars that are being left on the land which is slowly turning into a desert. What has been attributed to have caused this massive problem was the archaic and old water policies which does not use the water available effectively but insists on damaging the environment through sheer inefficiency. Use of old farming techniques, unsustainable crops and the water systems that have been built decades ago which cause more damage by obstructing the flow of water. With the direct drought on the state of California, the immediate actions that were taken have managed in a very short amount of time to cut down the water use by as much as 36% in certain cities and towns. One would wonder if the application of a longer term solution how much we would be able to do with less.

Africa This is best identified as a whole due to the large number of cases that are seen throughout the African continent. Notably the north where we can see the Sahara Desert which is the largest desert in the world and is constantly growing at an alarming rate due to a number of reason, mainly due to climate change and human unsustainable development. Africa has been struggling with an upgrade to its public amenities, to upgrade from the colonial period equipment and structure to a modern developed country. Various problems have been at cause for the delayed development, mostly the rife corruption and numerous civil wars that rage throughout the continent. However, the major challenge that is affecting African countries today is still the clean and sustainable water supply to their citizens on a daily basis. The situation is abysmal in areas such as sub-Saharan Africa where there is less than 16% of the households that are able to have drinking water though a connection into their house. This then does not stop the myriad of problems from cropping up and causing further problems. Such as the number of contaminations. This comes down to two main problems, the lack of knowledge of the people living in this situation and the lack of maintenance on the infrastructure that is built. Leading to a large degradation of the water supply over time. To a point it will damage those who use it on a daily basis for consumption or hygiene. Both of which are problems that are of a difficulty to tackle in an African context however, in Malta the should be problems which are easily solved and adapted with an attitude of more with less.

Malta: Slowly drying out The problems we face Malta is easily one of the driest countries in the world, with only 40m of naturally occurring 3

freshwater per capita: Putting us in a severely water scarce country. This places us in the top ten water scarce countries in the world. The biggest issue that Malta is facing is potentially the effect that Climate change is having on our islands. The changes in the global weather and rainfall patterns have given Malta one of the driest years in history with almost no rainfall for the winter of 2014-15. This is caused due to the damage to the environment that is being carried out systematically on a global scale. This does not, excuse us to blame the problem on others and ignore we still need to be at the forefront of addressing the issue and working hand in hand with the relative authorities to change the attitude that many countries have towards global warming. We have been hard hit with the decrease in the annual amount of rainfall which already is almost negligible to begin with. Due to the position of Malta in the Mediterranean Sea, it has always had a very limited amount of water being collected naturally. This then causes a twofold problem with our aquifers which need the natural water that slowly over time filter though the rock layers. To make matters worse in Malta when it rains it pours, with stretches of the year where we experience regular flooding due to the poor water management system on a national level. Most of the water supply that we use for our daily needs are found in the underground aquifers which are large bodies of water found floating on top of saltwater found stored in the porous limestone rock that makes up the bedrock of Malta. This water is generated through decades of rainfall slowly filtering through the rocks and nestling gently on the sea water. What a large number of Maltese who often abuse of this system do not understand is

that this is not a finite resource but rather it is a very limited water supply that due to overuse and over exploitation. In fact, it is estimated that to be sustainable Malta should only be using 23 million cubic meters of groundwater, however the consumption is conservatively estimated to be around 65 million cubic meters per annum. That is around 300% more according to which estimates you use, meaning that we are degrading our water supply without giving it time to regenerate. Just looking at the surface of the problem in Malta it is clear that the major problems that we face are sometimes due to human error and lack of good management. Our education and authorities need to be on the lookout on how to manage our dwindling water supplies in a much more effective manner then they are at the moment. This is because at the expense of our natural freshwater supply we are damaging our economy and over time we are becoming more and more dependent on the reverse-osmosis plant which is a process that filters seawater under a high pressure against a very high pressure against a highly selective permeable membrane. This is used to filter our molecules mostly salt and bacterial hence making the water drinkable and up to standard to be consumed by the public for a number of reasons. This however comes at great cost with both the technology that is employed as well as the energy cost is enormous. With 4% of our electricity going to generate freshwater from seawater. This however does not account the private companies that also have their own private plants that are used to supply their businesses. Hence it causing a larger than needed environmental footprint due to carbon gas emissions with serves to worsen the situation due to gasses emitted ending causing more global warming and hence further climate change. Having touched ever so slightly on the main aspects that are the core of the Maltese water problem. We will delve into further detail about what is happening on each of the cases in terms of the environment and the negative impacts carried out. 15

Fresh Water Aquifers These are underground layers of rock that are able to absorb water into the pores which result in a storage of this water layer that eventually is naturally returned to the surface though springs or anthropically though the use of water pumps, commonly known as boreholes in the Maltese Islands. They normally come in different shapes and sizes however; they are usually contained underground repositories of water, which are resting on a repository of salt water present in the Maltese geological bedrock. There is also the layer that is known to form on top of the clay or shale levels, which are aquitard, or else simply known as the layer of rock or material that makes it almost impossible for water to pass through. The aquitard would be able to trap the ground water and create the aquifer at a higher level than that present at the lowest level found balanced on the salt water. The manner in which the aquifers are generated is due to the precipitation that is filtered through the ground at a very slow pace. Usually over a large number of decades, and hence why it is such a filtered form of water due to the porous rock, which is found in Malta often acting as a form of filter. This does not act in all of the cases, as it will be discussed later on the case of the nitrates in water has been increasing drastically due to the malpractice of farming in Malta. Water stored inside an aquifer would be able to hold for many centuries, allowing for it to act a long term store. There are aquifers that are over 10,000 years old. With the oldest one ever documented being found over 2.4km underground inside a Canadian mine with the water being trapped at approximately 1.5 to 2.6 billion years ago. The biggest threat that could be singled out for the aquifers and the difficulty of them replenishing is the fact that our rapidly growing populations are relying more and more on the stored water below our feet. 16

This would then have a twofold effect which would be due to the removal of sweet water could allow the salt water to mix and hence cause contamination of the water reservoir. This situation is happening in fifteen of sixteen of the Maltese aquifers. The other contaminants are due to the excessive use of manure or nitrates to boost the soils nitrate content. Focusing more directly on the Maltese aquifers, in relation to our geographic and topographic location on the globe. Combining this with our size as a landmass as well as the fact that we have an ever-increasing arid climate. We have over 70% of the country facing water stress due to lack of water, and deterioration of the limited water supplies. From the European estimates, it is thought that there is only 188m of freshwater per inhabitant. This 3

makes Malta the driest country in the European Union and manages to make it to the top ten water scarce countries in the entire world. This is the result of years of low annual rainfall with the average of 553.1mm and combined with the ever-increasing population currently estimated to be at 1322.2 for every square kilometre. These numbers tend to avoid calculating the present population of tourists, which visit the island's year round. With particular intensity during the summer months when the country suffers the worst part of the yearly drought. The yearly uptake of water from the groundwater reserves that we have is limited, however with all of the illegalities we have ended in a situation where the government authorities have given up. This is because it is so difficult to control the uptake of water from the ground due to the pumps being so inconspicuous. The other problem that comes into question is the presence of increasing quantities of nitrates inside our fresh water supply, which are being filtered through the soil of the farmland we are using. This occurs due to the excessive fertilisation and weed killer that is used in the Maltese farming methods.

The Nitrogen content per hectare is between 151.7 kgN/ha and 227.8kgN/ha every year. This is in despite the fact that the Nitrate Directive of the EU stipulating that the value of 170kgN/ha. This means that 90% of the water extracted does not meet EU standards for safe drinking water.

Dry and Wet Seasons The Maltese Islands, as part of the Mediterranean climate, characteristically have warm wet winters and dry hot summers. Rainfall mainly occurs in the wet season and is torrential however in the past decades there has been an increase in the length and extremity of the dry season. This has led to a shorter but more intense as well as more damaging wet season. This is characterised by less but more intense torrential rainfall. What does one mean by this? This means that the periods of rainfall have shortened however when they occur, rainfall is more intense. Due to this factor, it is much more difficult to be caught for storage by the catchment area in the surface. The over conurbation on the islands, as discussed above, makes such matters worse due to decrease of permeable catchment areas it causes. Apart from lack of storage (natural as well as artificial) accessibility, this type of rainfall is also very damaging to certain more vulnerable ecological locations as well as agricultural sites. On the other hand, dry seasons are becoming more dry. Aside from the issues this causes on the human body, we need to look at the impact this is having on the Mediterranean plants on the Islands which are more adapted to semi-arid climates rather than arid ones.

Water Management The water that was used in the Maltese islands between 2004 and 2013 was sourced from Reverse Osmosis plants. With the remaining 44.3% being obtained from the groundwater sources. The annual billed consumption stands around 18 million m of water with the water 3

services corporation reporting that the annual consumption reporting it to be of 38 million m3 annually resulting in a discrepancy of 20 million m . 3

From 2005 the total water production has been reduced by a 0.2% yearly, however the consumption has increased by an average of 1.3% yearly. To be able to counter this change, what has been done is the upgrade of the infrastructure allowing for a reduction of leakages of the water distribution network. This amount to 3.54 million m that translates to 49.8% of 3

the supply of water being maintained. However soon this will not be able to keep up with the increase in demand due to the water demand increasing to over 60.7 million m . 3

The need for the reuse of wastewater has ever increasing pressure, especially on the Moriso Project being researched by the Water Services Corporation in 2013. Since the early 2004 the water services have been responsible for the collection and disposal of the treatment of

member states to invest in the construction of a number of Sewage Treatment Plants for the treatment of sewage effluent before it, is being discharged in the sea from the sewage treatment plants that need to be installed around the island. Of which Malta currently, has a total of four STPs are found in the Mal

course.

Legal Perspective: A 2010 report names Malta as one of the leading member states with respect to the annual depletion of essential water resources. Indeed, Malta is among six member states identified as using as much as 20% of their long-term water supplies each year. Rising high population density along with increased standard of living and diminishing sources of aquifer replenishment are among the major threats to the quality and availability of fresh water supplies in Malta. An even more pressing concern is the contamination of groundwater bodies by excessive nitrates and chlorides deriving from excessive extraction and agricultural contamination. In order to deal with the mounting challenges, several initiatives have been adopted on a municipal and national level, spurred to a major extent by the objectives established within the EU Water Framework Directive (transposed in Maltese law as Legal Notice 194 of 2004). Chief among these are the control of groundwater extraction along with ensuring that water

challenges due to both the short timeframes and the peculiarities of a small island-nation. The Maltese response has taken the form of the Water Catchment Management Plan. The second iteration of the strategy, spanning from 2015 to 2021 seeks to assess the impact of the f objectives. As outlined within the preamble to the policy document, value and a political aim: it gives administrative bodies, the local authorities and the general

Indeed, legislative measures undertaken within this field are not to be examined in vacuum, as steps of a legal nature are always supported by strong policy underpinnings which are

to oversee the actuation of the Management Plan is mandated by virtue of the Directive to

engage in constant public consultation with respect to the production, review, and updating of its objectives. With respect to the enforcement aspect of the Regulations, the punishments envisioned (of both pecuniary and punitive nature) are mostly dependent on whether an offender (loosely defined as anyone who breaches any stipulation, condition, restriction, or requirement set out in the Regulation) is convicted for the first or subsequent instances.

Resolution of the Situation 1. Preamble 1.1. Requests the Maltese Government to open a dialogue on the importance of water as a fundamental human right and start working on improving the current situation in Malta; 1.2. to constantly meet increasing demands. 1.3. Promotes the need for a nationwide and multi-faceted campaign tackling the issue on an industrial, agricultural and civilian scale. 1.4. Urges the investment in Research and Development with primary focus on setting precedents for local issues. 1.5. Highlights the cost of the problem on a number of layers 1.5.1. Understands that the added stress will demote the standard of living of the Maltese population 1.5.2.Understands that this will result in decreased attractiveness for investment in the Maltese economy due to added cost of water supplies. 1.6. Deplores the waste of water though inefficient methods and bad planning on both; 1.6.1. National Water Delivery Systems; 1.6.2. Business and industry manufacturing; 1.6.3. Household use.

2. Responsible Consumption 2.1. Emphasising the need for an effective marketing plan relating to the importance of responsible water use; 2.1.1. Bringing forward points such as the need for individuals to make changes in their lifestyles to ensure sustainable use of water; 2.1.2.Creating an active awareness about the problem, which is developing on our Islands; 2.2. Recommending the implementation of a local education plan, targeting young schoolchildren to help them grow with a water conscious attitude; 2.2.1.Aiming at creating programs at a primary and secondary school level while also implementing the necessary infrastructural changes to public schools to aid in this transition. 2.3. Urging the importance of maintenance and application of water loss reduction technology 2.3.1.Understanding that a leaking tap could easily be the cause of fifteen litres of water daily, hence such minor maintenance in households and offices could lead to a large collective saving of water. 2.3.2. Recognising that water saving technology is available on the market for very affordable prices, as well as being easily adaptable to current systems. 2.3.2.1.

Focusing on water Aeration taps, faucets and insulation to water piping

that would cut the costs of both water use and electricity use. 2.3.2.2.

Promoting or incentivising the use of such technologies by setting an

example in governmental institutions. 2.4. Highlighting the need for watering of plants and gardens in the best possible practice with educational campaigns running on media to this affect. 24

2.5. Recognising the need for efficient water monitoring system and urges the correct use of such systems. 2.5.1.Understanding the irregularities occurring are due to the variation in water demand and supply levels. 2.5.2. Promoting the idea of effective monitoring so as to allow for increased mindfulness 2.6. Establishing the necessity of water collection systems within and around private property 2.6.1. Focusing on proper collection cisterns and water redirection. 2.6.2. Allowing space during construction for water to be percolate into the rock system and hence enhancing Maltese aquifers. 2.7. Establishing the importance of use of local endemic plants in the planting of gardens around the islands. 2.7.1. Ensuring that soil is covered in netting as much as possible to reduce water evaporation 2.7.2. Promoting the use of xeriscaping in the decor of gardens

3. Research & Development 3.1. Recommends the creation of a Research Fund aimed at stimulating research in this area of interest, while at the same time creating awareness about the situation 3.1.1. Highlights the importance of the youth and the potential found in secondary, post-secondary and tertiary education students. 3.1.2.Notes the potential of creating incentive for companies by a yearly award of tariff reductions for the biggest percentage water use reduced. 3.2. Special interest should be given to waste water management research. 3.2.1.Promotes the increased research into this area due to the potential that it holds, with investment in new facilities as well into better technology with a higher efficiency rate then what is present. 3.2.2. Understands current efforts have yielded limited amounts of water recycling, and that there is a large potential for this system to provide a sustainable amount of water back into the Maltese demand. 3.3. Discusses the need for a better energy source to power reverse osmosis. 3.3.1. osmosis plants to the habitats in their vicinity 3.3.2. Understands the need of such technology. 3.3.2.1.

Implores the investment of research on the topic for higher efficiency

methods of water extraction from saline water for the benefit of the public as well as the tourism sector 3.3.3. Discusses the importance of monitoring the total amount of water being extracted from the sea for this use, both from national and private systems. 3.4. Monitoring the damage being carried out to the environment due to 3.4.1. Increase in droughts which are causing the severe reduction of the small fresh water zones to become endangered 26

3.4.2. Assessment of desertification of land and to what extent this is occurring. 3.4.3. Increased monitoring of the limited and severely depleted Maltese aquifers. 3.5. Requests an investigation on the carbon foot print that is being produced with the increase demand and consumption of water 3.5.1.Understanding consuming water supplies is the equivalent to consuming a significant portion of electricity supplies at the same time. 3.5.2. Explore alternative methods of water purification with the aim to bolstering available supplies sustainably.

4. Economic Impact 4.1. Requests a complete analysis of the cost of the production of a sustainable water supply in relation to the current trends in water production. 4.2. Formulate a discussion on the possibility of capping the cost of bottled water for the consumption of citizens and tourists, due to the potential negative impacts intense summer temperatures. 4.2.1. Referring with keynote to certain bottled water areas in specific locations can sky rocket due to the exclusivity of the retailers and availability of water. 4.3. Prioritise agricultural economy needs, with the potential introduction of water and nutrient efficient plants that maximise the use of our land. 4.3.1. Explore the possibilities of growing new crops including sea based plant matter that could easily complement our diet or be used as a new form of specialised export. 4.3.2. Discuss the need of changing the produce available on the market and introducing crops that are suitable and adapted to the Maltese climate. 4.4. Push forward campaigns aimed at companies and industries office infrastructure to update their infrastructure accordingly. 4.4.1. Promoting water efficiency and pushing forward regular maintenance in their building 4.5. 4.5.1. Reducing import tariffs on such products as dishwashers, washing machines and other home or office products, which have controls on the usage of water and improve efficacy over other products.

5. National Policy 5.1. Requests the immediate attention to the issue of water environmental issues and the many issues that rise from it, namely; 5.1.1. Pollution 5.1.2.Scarcity 5.1.3.Desertification 5.2. Understands the current efforts being taken in view of the aquifers with measures having been implemented to regulate the uptake of water. 5.2.1.Enforces the need to safe guard these aquifers and urges the development as part of the national water plan that would find alternative solutions before the very limited supply in our aquifers is lost completely. 5.3. Calls upon the development of a National Water plan, which would be monitoring the water demand and supply for consumption, at the same time understanding the needs of the environment and keeping in consideration the natural habitat of the Maltese Islands. 5.3.1.Believing that this should not be limited to fresh water supplies, it would also include the seawater and industrial effluent. 5.4. Draws attention to situation that the rainwater collection system is in Malta 5.4.1. Special attention given to the flooding of certain locations due to improper floodwater control on the island. 5.4.1.1.

Understanding that such floodwater could provide a significant boost

for our agriculture. 5.4.2. Observing that a number of our water collection dams are in dire need of maintenance that should be given yearly, rather than based on the extent of the damage.

5.5. Further invites the application of covering of the surface of water basins acting as rain water collection zones to be covered using modern technology, 5.5.1.Recommends the use of technology such as the ones used in California with the installation of plastic floating balls on the surface, that reduce the loss of water though evaporation. 5.6. Trusts the government to implement national policy that is in line with the European Union and United Nations and acting as a model for the future of a better world.

Concluding Remarks Malta has grown and adapted to a large number of issues and problems too eventually overcoming them and creating a new standards. Taking the example of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) we stood at the forefront of the issues and acted as a catalyst for change and new discussion to be held internationally. Once again, we stand at this impasse where we need to take action on something that is absolutely vital for our country. Our action on freshwater availability on our islands needs to be swift and directly acting on the problems we are facing. This so as to make sure that we will not end up in a scenario where we end up without water supplies and start trying to provide it there and then.

References "Adapting To Change - Water - Environment - European Commission". Ec.europa.eu. N.p., 2017. Web. 26 Jan. 2017. Amanda Zamora, Abrahm Lustgarten. "California's Drought Is Part Of A Much Bigger Water Crisis. Here's What You Need To Know". ProPublica. N.p., 2017. Web. 26 Jan. 2017. Awuah, E. et al. "Small Town Water Quality". Desalination 248.1-3 (2009): 453-459. Web. Bucknall, Julia. Making The Most Of Scarcity. 1st ed. Washington, D.C.: World Bank, 2006. Print. "Coping With Water Scarcity. An Action Framework For Agriculture And Food Security". Zaragoza.es. N.p., 2017. Web. 26 Jan. 2017. Dengo, Manuel. "COPING WITH WATER SCARCITY". N.p., 2017. Web. Aug. 2006. Fotso, Jean-Christophe et al. "Progress Towards The Child Mortality Millennium Development Goal In Urban Sub-Saharan Africa: The Dynamics Of Population Growth, Immunization, And Access To Clean Water". BMC Public Health 7.1 (2007): n. pag. Web. "Global Drylands: A UN System-Wide Response". Zaragoza.es. N.p., 2017. Web. 26 Jan. 2017. "Groundwater

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Water

Cycle,

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School". Water.usgs.gov. N.p., 2017. Web. 26 Jan. 2017. Nations, United. C O P I N G W I T H W A T E R S C A R C I T Y C H A L L E N G E O F T H E T W E N T Y - F I R S T C E N T U R Y. 1st ed. 2017. Web. 26 Jan. 2017. Nations, United. SECTORAL WATER ALLOCATION POLICIES IN SELECTED ESCWA MEMBER COUNTRIES. 1st ed. New York: United Nations, 2017. Web. 3 Nov. 2003. 32

"Reverse-Osmosis". Investinginwater.org. N.p., 2017. Web. 26 Jan. 2017. Science, Live and Planet Earth. "Aquifers: Underground Stores Of Freshwater". Live Science. N.p., 2017. Web. 26 Jan. 2017. The United Nations World Water Development Report 4. 1st ed. Paris: UNESCO, 2012. Print. "Water Scarcity | International Decade For Action 'Water For Life' 2005-2015". Un.org. N.p., 2017. Web. 26 Jan. 2017. "Water Scarcity And Drought - Environment - European Commission". Ec.europa.eu. N.p., 2017. Web. 26 Jan. 2017. "Water Scarcity And Drought In The European Union". N.p., 2017. Web. 26 Jan. 2017.

Task Force Alexander Hili (KSU), Etienne Buttigieg (KSU), JC Fenech (Hybrid), Maria Falzon (S-Cubed), Joseph Masini, Carla Galea, Andrew Borg Wirth, Sean Ellul (KNZ).

Endorsements This document is endorsed by the following organisations present at the University of Malta:

AEGEE-Valletta, AIESEC UoM, ASA - Arts Students' Association, ASCS - Association of Students of Commercial Studies, Betapsi - Psychology Students' Association, CommA Communications and Fine Arts Association, CSA

Criminology Students Association, DESA

- Department of English Student Association, ELSA Malta - The European Law Students' Association, ESA - Earth Systems Association, ESN - Erasmus Student Network, ESO European Studies Organisation, University of Malta Futsal, Greenhouse, GUG - Gozo -

-Malti Universit

aqda Studenti tal-Li i,

aqda Studenti tat-Teolo ija, IAESTE - International Association for the Exchange of Students for Technical Experience, HoASA - History of arts and fi ICTSA - Information Communications Technology Students' Association, ICE - Institute of Civil Engineers Student Chapter, IEEE Malta Student Branch, INSITE, JEF Malta - Young European Federalists Malta, KSJC

Kunsill Studenti Junior College, MADS

Association for Dental Students, MHSA -

Malta Malta

International Relations Students Association, MMSA

Malta Medical Students Association,

MPSA - Malta Pharmaceutical Students' Association, MKSU

Moviment Kattoliku Studenti

Universitarji, MUHS - Malta University Historical Society, MUSC - Malta University Sports Club, MUST

Malta University Student Teachers, OSQ - Organizazzjoni Studenti Qwiebel, SACES

- Society for Architecture and Civil Engineering Students, S-Cubed - Science Students' Society, SDM

- Social

Science Students' Integrative Educational and Research Association, SPS Philosophical Society, SSA Students Sociology Association, TDM2000 Malta, The Third Eye, TSA

Tourism Studies Association, Pulse, UBG UoMR

University Bible Group, UESA

University

University of Malta Racing, UoM Rowing Club,

UMGS - University of Malta Geographical Society, USPA - University Students of Performing Arts Association, We Are - Youth & Student LGBTQQI Organisation, Y4TE - Youth For The Environment