Water harvesting and water collection systems in Mediterranean area. The case of Malta

This paper focuses on how the Mediterranean countries have dealt with the water shortage problems through different systems of water collection and water harvesting, developing appropriate solutions to meet the specific needs of their ancient and present-day inhabitants by using traditional knowledge, building skills, and local resources, leading to solutions that to different extents, fit into the existing environment. This research helps to understand the different approaches in each country, resulting from climatic, geographical, socio-economic, and cultural conditions, as well as those related to spatial planning and urban development. Malta's case can be seen as a particular approach to this problem, which has led to a new source of water harvesting for common use. Malta has always been characterized by underground and rainwater shortages due to the intense but short rainfalls. It increasingly harvests and collects the resource through the use of highly technological seawater desalination systems. The Reverse Osmosis process (RO) provides the water to its inhabitants from a strongly present and easily available resource, the surrounding seawater of the Mediterranean. At the same time it boosts the use of tanks throughout the territory which reduces harmful water withdrawals from the underground, helps control the runoff phenomenon and ensures better management of water in agriculture and households. (C) 2011 Published by Elsevier Ltd. Selection and/or peer-review under responsibility of APAAS