WATER AS A SCARCE
NATIONAL RESOURCE
Manuel Sapiano
Regulation Unit
Malta Resources Authority
Introduction (1)
WATER SCARCITY – a situation where insufficient water resources
are available to satisfy long-term average requirements. It refers to
long-term water imbalances, where the availability is low compared to
the demand for water, and means that water demand exceeds the
water resources exploitable under sustainable conditions.
DROUGHT – represents relevant temporary decrease of the average
water availability – important deviations from the average levels of
natural water availability and is considered as a natural phenomenon.
ARIDITY – a natural permanent imbalance in the water availability
consisting in low average annual precipitation, with high spatial and
temporal variability, resulting in overall low moisture and low carrying
capacity of the ecosystem
Water as a Scarce National Resource
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Introduction (2)
WATER SCARCITY = f(Water Availability, Water
Demand)
WATER AVAILABILITY = f(Climatic and
Hydrogeologic characteristics)
WATER DEMAND = f(Demographic and Social
conditions)
Water as a Scarce National Resource
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Water Availability (1)
The climate is typically semi-arid
Mediterranean; characterized by
hot, dry summers and mild, wet
winters.
The Mean Annual Rainfall is about
550mm; with the highest
precipitation rates generally
occurring between October and
February.
Actual mean annual
evapotranspiration is estimated at
around 63% of the measured
annual rainfall.
Water as a Scarce National Resource
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Water Availability (2)
Water as a Scarce National Resource
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Water Availability (3)
Abstractable
Groundwater
13%
Runoff
15%
Subsurface Discharge
13%
Evapotranspiration
59%
Water as a Scarce National Resource
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Water Availability (4)
1. No surface waters of
economical importance.
Utilisation of rainwater
runoff is constrained by
reservoir carrying-over
capacity (est 4Mm3).
2. Fifteen unconfined
aquifers with a potential
safe yield of 2325Mm3/year.
Water as a Scarce National Resource
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Water Availability (4)
The "water stress index" is the
ratio of a country’s total water
withdrawals to its total
renewable freshwater
resources.
If we do not consider ‘produced
water’ then the “water stress
index” for Malta should be of
the order 100%.
Water as a Scarce National Resource
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800
600
inh/km2
Water Demand (1)
1400
1200
1000
400
200
0
Finland
Sweden
Estonia
Lithuania
Greece
Spain
Austria
8
Water as a Scarce National Resource
Slovenia
France
Slovakia
Portugal
Poland
Denmark
Czech Republic
Luxembourg
Italy
Germany
United Kingdom
Belgium
Netherlands
Malta
Demographic Characteristics – highest population density in
Europe
Water Demand (2)
Water Availability per Capita is
the lowest in Europe, estimated
between 80-120m3/cap/year.
Malta
Cyprus
Denmark
Poland
Belgium
Germany
United Kingdom
“A per capita water availability of
between 1000 and 1600 m3 per
annum indicates water stress.
Availability between 500 – 1000 m3
indicates chronic water scarcity,
while per capita water availability of
500 m3 or less indicates a country or
region below the manageable
capability.”
United Nations
Spain
Italy
France
Netherlands
Lithuania
Portugal
Luxembourg
Estonia
Slovakia
Austria
Hungary
Ireland
Latvia
Slovenia
Sw eden
Finland
0
5000
10000
15000
20000
25000
Water Availability (m 3/cap/year)
Water as a Scarce National Resource
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Water Demand (3)
Need to ‘produce’ water to meet
demand.
Desalination (distillation) first
introduced in 1881.
Water as a Scarce National Resource
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Water Demand (4)
DEMAND AND SUPPLY
70,000
60,000
OTHER
INDUSTRY
000m3
50,000
40,000
AGRICULTURE
30,000
20,000
10,000
GROUNDWATER
DOMESTIC
RUNOFF
0
DEMAND
Water as a Scarce National Resource
SUPPLY
11
Resource Availability
1.
No surface waters of economical importance. Utilisation
of surface runoff is constrained by reservoir carrying-over
capacity (2-3Mm3).
2.
Unconfined aquifers with a potential safe yield of 2325Mm3/year.
3.
Desalination facilities by reverse osmosis with a capacity
of 26-30Mm3/year.
4.
Treated sewage effluent: current potential availability of
17Mm3/year. (Actual use is approx. 2.5Mm3/year)
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Conclusion (1)
INCREASING SUPPLY
Increased use of non-conventional water
resources
DEMAND AND SUPPLY
70,000
60,000
OTHER
INDUSTRY
000m3
50,000
40,000
TREATED EFFLUENT
AGRICULTURE
DESALINATION
30,000
20,000
10,000
GROUNDWATER
DOMESTIC
RUNOFF
0
DEMAND
Water as a Scarce National Resource
SUPPLY
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Conclusion (2)
MANAGING DEMAND
Increased efficient use of water
DEMAND AND SUPPLY
70,000
60,000
50,000
000m3
OTHER
40,000
30,000
INDUSTRY
TREATED EFFLUENT
DESALINATION
AGRICULTURE
20,000
GROUNDWATER
10,000
DOMESTIC
RUNOFF
0
DEMAND
Water as a Scarce National Resource
SUPPLY
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Conclusion (3)
Average water footprint of Malta:
2216 m³/yr per capita
Part of footprint falling outside of the country:
91.7 %
Global average water footprint (for comparison):
1385 m³/yr per capita
Source: http://www.waterfootprint.org
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Thank you for your attention