Malta: Rediscovering rainwater as a precious resource

Maltese government report with concrete proposals on how to reuse rainwater recognises risk resulting from over-development which has increased impermeable surfaces that prevent rainwater from reaching the aquifer. Stormwater falling on roofs and roads in urban areas can be safely reused for flushing toilets, laundry, washing floors, industrial use and irrigation and even in recharging the underground water table – without posing any significant health hazards. That is what new guidelines on Green Stormwater Infrastructure (GSI) from the ministry for public works and planning propose in a comprehensive document. The document aims at putting to better use the 175 million cubic metres of rainwater which falls on Malta, a substantial part of which is lost by falling on impermeable surfaces in urban areas. This is over five times the total volume of water produced by the Water Services Corporation (WSC) from desalination and groundwater sources.