Water quality in the Maltese Islands : a historical geographic aspect

Abstract

A reliable and adequate source of clean drinking water is considered to be a basic human right and is one of the highest priorities of any country. The means by which the inhabitants of a country obtain a potable water supply depends upon the natural and financial resources of the country itself and the historical influences. For instance, both quantity and quality of the water supply are a consequence of the distribution network systems, which need large financial backing for installation and maintenance. Moreover, the judgment of safety, or what is an acceptable level of risk, is a matter in ,. which a society as a whole has a role to play. In the Maltese Islands, water issues have been around for centuries, and are one of the main and constant worries for both the responsible authorities and the residents. The scarcity of natural freshwater resources and low rainfall leads to the need of many technological devices to improve the conservation and quality of water and to supply potable water, which meets the population demand.