In October 2017, The Malta Independent reported on the environmental plans in Malta's 2018 budget. The government announced a new desalination plant at Ħondoq ir-Rummien on Gozo with about 9,000 m³/day. It was to free Gozo from reliance on the reverse osmosis plant at Ċirkewwa and the subsea pipeline between the islands. Further plans covered investment in reverse osmosis for peak summer demand and continued work on three plants turning treated wastewater into "new water" for farming and industry.
The report showed that Malta aimed in 2017 to secure Gozo's supply with local desalination instead of feeding it through the pipeline from the main island. Desalination and water reuse sat side by side in the budget.