Positive end to the Water - Be the Change campaign

With increasing population rates and such a small percentage of all the water on Earth fit for consumption, its imperative and essential that we preserve and conserve this precious resource. It is of utmost importance to learn more about water conservation and how we can help keep our sources pure and safe for generations to come.

The unveiling of the ‘Water – Be The Change campaign

In September 2019, the Energy and Water Agency within the Ministry for Energy, Enterprise and Sustainable Development, had officially launched the national water conservation campaign, ‘Water – Be The Change’.

This engaging and informative campaign project was part-financed by the European Union under the Cohesion Fund- European Structural and Investment Funds 2014-2020. The ultimate goal of this campaign was to educate and highlight awareness on people’s behaviour towards water conservation on the Maltese Islands, targeting the domestic, commercial and agricultural sectors.

The main objective of this outreach effort was to spotlight innovative water conservation technologies and interventions in various sectors, including domestic, public, and agricultural. The aim was to attain measurable reductions in water consumption and demand.

These designated "demo sites" aimed to provide evidence that even minor interventions in smaller spaces can yield substantial water savings on a nationwide scale. The interventions covered a wide spectrum, encompassing simple additions like aerators or drip irrigation, as well as more comprehensive measures like well repairs and the establishment of a secondary water management system. These examples vividly illustrate the significant positive outcomes that can result from such interventions in terms of promoting water conservation.

Demonstration sites

Undoubtedly, demonstration sites played a pivotal role in this National Water Conservation Campaign, serving as practical platforms to exhibit the effective implementation of water-saving measures and water demand management strategies. By presenting tangible results and success stories, the demonstration sites were intended to foster wider adoption of sustainable water practices across the community.

Community engagement was also the cornerstone of Water Be the Change. As the Agency’s water team toured the Maltese Islands with their mobile unit to meet people from all walks of life, the campaign nurtured a sense of shared responsibility for water resources. It inspired local communities to unite and take collective action, understanding that together, we can make a lasting impact.

Our Water Mobile Unit Team were provided with training and branded uniforms and participated in well-attended organised events and national fairs, with the aim of bringing our messages to events attended by the public. The selection of events portrays our objective of reaching as wide enough a cross-section of the population as possible. Not only geographically, but also demographically. During these events water conservation information was handed out in the form of printed materials and one-to-one discussions with our team sharing best practice and tips on how to conserve water at home & the office in visitors’ everyday.

Despite the lock downs due to COVID-19 and the impossibility of attending organised events due to none being organised, the ‘Water - Be The Change’ team still attended 30 events over the duration of the campaign as per tender requirements.

Water conservation outreach programme

This comprehensive campaign was also supported by a nationwide distribution drive called the ‘Join The Drops Tour’.  This operation started off in Senglea, Vittoriosa and Kalkara, in Janauray 2020. Every primary residence in Malta and Gozo was visited by a uniformed Team of Water Officers to deliver a water conservation pack including a voucher and gadgets to be used around the home as an introduction on how to consume water more efficiently.

Between Friday and Saturday of that week the ‘Water - Be The Change’ Mobile Unit would be parked in a main area of that town. Thanks to the assistance of the Water Team, during these particular days, people could redeem the voucher received at home for a further five water-saving gadgets, for free, depending on eligibility. Should the public have missed the Home Visits or were not able to attend the Town Tour they were referred to Għajn, our Water Information Centre in Rabat.

Interventions and implementation

Throughout the entire campaign, the Water Team conducted pilot projects in different residences across Malta and Gozo, and a budget of €4000 was allocated, covering a total of 250 residences.

Public projects in five offices were allocated a budget of €75,000 each, while a budget of €5,000 was assigned to each pilot project on 150 farms.

The interventions carried out at each site, led by experienced technical suppliers, have demonstrated the effectiveness of innovative water-saving technologies and practices. By engaging diverse stakeholders and actively involving representatives from the Contracting Authority, the project has encouraged broader adoption of water conservation measures and increased awareness about the importance of water sustainability.

Conferences and technical workshops

Throughout this educational nationwide campaign a series of conferences and workshops were organised attracting lay people, different industry sectors, NGOs, ministerial and local council representatives, University lecturers and students.

These conferences took the format of various presentations by various local and international water conservation specialists, as well as panel discussions and tackled different aspects of water conservation.

Discussions were held regarding the main challenges for the achievement of good status for Malta’s water resources and the measures needed to be implemented, the need for more green areas in local communities and innovative solutions on making the water circular economy possible, and of course the implementation of different water conservation methods.

The last conference spread over two days provided an opportunity for hydro geologists and professionals to exchange ideas and discuss different issues on groundwater resources.