Directorate for Water Resources Regulation

Water is essential for survival.  In a country like ours, where natural resources are scarce, the sustainable management of water resources is a national priority and a continuous challenge.  The way we use our water has direct consequences on the natural environment and influences the quality of our lifestyle. Sustainable management of water resources requires efficient regulation so that these aims are achieved to the benefit to our society, both present and future. With the coming into force of the Malta Resources Authority Act, which provided for a separation of the regulatory functions from the operational ones, the Directorate for Water Resources Regulation was established and vested with the exercise of regulatory functions for water resources.  Some of these functions were previously performed by the Water Services Corporation and the latter now remains solely an operator.

The Directorate for Water Resources Regulation has today, the duty to ensure the proper and sustainable use of all water resources in the Maltese Islands while respecting hydro-environmental and socio-economic constraints.  Being also responsible for economic regulation, the Water Resources Directorate encourages the national water utility to improve its efficiency and service standards whilst ensuring fair and reasonable pricing of it services to the consumer.

Due to the strategic importance in having a reliable water supply, the Water Resources Directorate is aiming to secure, in the long term, the most proper use of all water resources, both conventional and non-conventional ones whilst ensuring environmental protection.

In drawing up its strategic plan, the Water Resources Directorate therefore looked ahead and considered the requirements of both our community and the environment.  Six strategic objectives have been identified to fulfill our corporate mission namely:

	Stewardship of natural water resources.
	Building of an active and informed constituency on water related issues.
	Establishing an effective regulation of the economic and financial efficiency of the water utilities.
	Ensuring consumer confidence and satisfaction on services provided by the water industry.
	Meeting the targets and international obligations set by Government.
	Addressing water related issues through sound science and credible technological methods.

As the body responsible for the formulation of water regulations and policies, the Water Resources Directorate is currently reviewing existing legislation and working on the transposition of EU Directives into Maltese law. The Water Framework Directive 2000/60/EC, and the Groundwater Directive 80/68/EEC are useful groundwater management tools which properly used, afford ‘best practice’ management of groundwater resources leading to the achievement of good groundwater status, eventually reversing negative trends in quality. 

A major problem in the Maltese Islands is the improper exploitation of groundwater resources. Overpumping has caused deterioration of water quality, while significant economic activity has grown around this activity. The Authority will soon be announcing projects that will lead to a better and more scientific understanding of groundwater processes which will provide the basis upon which it will define its groundwater exploitation and allocation policies. Funding and technical assistance for these studies will be sought through initiatives such as the MEDA and FP5 and other international agencies like the FAO and IAEA.

The Directorate will also be monitoring the performance of the Water Services Corporation to ensure that the customer receives value for money and a high quality service product. It will ensure that that the regulated services provided by the Corporation will not interfere with other subsidiary activities that will be subject to competition. Capital projects will be scrutinized to ensure full justification prior to their implementation. The Directorate will promote codes of good practice to encourage water conservation, and will give scientific advise on water matters to those organizations requesting it. This, it will do to ensure effective consumer protection and satisfaction, and value for money.

The Directorate is presently in the process of recruiting a multidisciplinary core of professional staff to carry out its functions and will be availing itself of outside specialized services as and when the need arises.