The Mediterranean island of Malta is an archipelago confronted with unique resource challenges. Welcoming 1.8 million tourists per year more than quadruples its population, making this small country one of the world’s most densely populated. The absence of rivers or lakes on the island also makes it among the 10 poorest in terms of natural water resources per head.
Conscious of the significant water scarcity across the island, the island’s public water utility, Water Services Corporation, had been proactive, implementing voluntary policies for pragmatic water resource management in the mid-1990s. After moving forward with seawater desalination, the archipelago followed through on its engagement with radical action to stop water loss on the distribution network, as well as reduce leaks at their most base levels.
Malta partnered with SUEZ and IBM to implement smart water meters that monitor water consumption with precision on a daily basis, to offer new services to its customers and increase the operational efficiency of the public water service.