Malta’s Water Scarcity Challenges: Past, Present, and Future Mitigation Strategies for Sustainable Water Supplies
Malta’s Water Scarcity Challenges: Past, Present, and Future Mitigation Strategies for Sustainable Water Supplies
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DOI：
10.3390/su12239835
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发表时间：
2020-11
期刊：
影响因子：
3.9
通讯作者：
Lindsey M. Hartfiel;M. Soupir;R. Kanwar
中科院分区：
文献类型：
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作者：
Lindsey M. Hartfiel;M. Soupir;R. Kanwar
地中海小国马耳他是位于意大利和北非之间的一个岛屿，它一直面临并将在未来几年继续面临水资源短缺的问题，被指定为欧洲水资源最紧张的国家。过去，马耳他的水资源挑战集中在水量问题上，但近年来，由于地下水质量和数量的恶化，其水资源压力的严重性有所加剧。由于过度开采地下水，咸水不断侵入淡水含水层系统，使其家庭和农业用地下水质量恶化。本文件的目的是对马耳他水问题的历史以及马耳他如何努力解决缺水问题进行广泛的回顾。此外，本文还调查了马耳他缺水对其粮食和能源安全挑战的影响。我们的研究结论是，尽管马耳他在追求水安全和可持续发展方面有障碍需要克服，但未来仍然充满希望，仍然有几种替代办法。本审查中探讨的一些替代方案包括废水再利用、提高认识、使用替代能源、雨水收集和实施全国范围的战略水政策。
The small Mediterranean country of Malta, an island located between Italy and North Africa, has been facing and will continue to face water stress and scarcity in the coming years, receiving the designation as the most water stressed country in Europe. In the past, Malta’s water challenges were centered around water quantity concerns, but in more recent years, the severity of their water stress has been strengthened by the deterioration of the groundwater quality and quantity. Through the over-extraction of their groundwater, saltwater intrusion has steadily occurred into their freshwater aquifer systems, worsening their groundwater quality for both domestic and agricultural purposes. The objective of this paper is to conduct an extensive review on the history of Malta’s water problems and how Malta is working to combat its water scarcity concerns. Additionally, this paper investigates the impact of Malta’s water scarcity on its food and energy security challenges. Our study concludes that while Malta has obstacles to overcome in their pursuit of water security and sustainable development, the future remains hopeful, with several alternatives still available. Some of the alternatives explored in this review include wastewater reuse, increased awareness, use of alternative energy sources, rainwater harvesting, and implementation of nation-wide strategic water policies.