Water production from groundwater reserves has experienced an overall decrease of 3.5 per cent per year during the past eight years.

World Water Day 2009 – The international observance of World Water Day is an initiative that grew out of the 1992 United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) in Rio de Janerio. In 2009, the focus of World Water Day on March the 22nd will be on transboundary waters: sharing waters, sharing opportunities.

In Malta water is produced by means of groundwater extraction and the desalination of seawater. From 2000 to 2008 groundwater extraction contributed 46.4 per cent of total water production. The only year in which groundwater production exceeded production from desalination was in 2000, when 52.9 per cent of all water production originated from the former source.

Throughout the period under review, water production levels fluctuated from one year to another. However, as a general trend, water production decreased at an average rate of 1.6 per cent per year. The trend of the water supply in the distribution network follows closely upon that of water production. There is however a small variation between these two sets of figures, due to the temporary storage of water in reservoirs prior to its distribution. The amounts of water lost through leakages from the distribution network between 2002 and 2008 increased only in 2003, to decrease steadily thereafter.

Billed water consumption of all industrial activities in Malta from 2000 to 2007 show that during this period the sector with the largest consumption was Hotels and Restaurants (25.3 per cent), followed by the Manufacture of Food Products and Beverages (18.6 per cent). Other notable consumers included Health and Social Work (8.8 per cent), Public Administration (6.5 per cent), and Agriculture and related services (5.1 per cent).

Actual billed water consumption of industrial activities fluctuated considerably from one year to another. However an overall negative trend, which translates into an average decrease of 4.4 per cent per year, can be discerned.

In 2007, households contributed two-thirds of the total actual billed water consumption, whilst agriculture/fishing contributed just 2 per cent. It should be noted that a sizeable proportion of agricultural and fishing activities make use of water that is produced and consumed through private means and therefore does not feature as billed water consumption

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