Ask a Maltese household when their roof tank was last cleaned and you get a thoughtful silence. The tank is the most ignored component of the domestic water system — and everything you shower in passes through it. The good news: tank hygiene is cheap, quick and transformative for water quality.
Why tanks get grim
Roof tanks live in the Maltese sun, which warms the water and — wherever light enters through a translucent tank or an ill-fitting lid — grows algae. Add wind-blown dust, the occasional insect visitation through a torn vent screen, and years of mineral sediment settling out of hard water, and the bottom of a mature tank develops a layer best not contemplated mid-shower. Wells (bir) have their own version: silt, surface-water ingress after storms, and organic matter if the cover leaks light or leaves.
The warning signs
- Water pressure or flow drops as sediment reaches the outlet — sometimes read as a pressure problem when it is really a tank problem.
- A musty or "green" smell at taps fed from the tank, worst after windless hot weeks.
- Visible particles settling in a glass of tank-fed water.
- Skin and laundry noticing what the eye cannot.
What professional cleaning involves
- Isolate and drain the tank (timed so the household keeps mains water where plumbing allows).
- Physically scrub and remove sediment and biofilm — the part no additive achieves.
- Disinfect with appropriate solution, rinse thoroughly, refill.
- Inspect while empty: ball valve condition, lid seal, vent screens, and the tank's own health — sun-degraded polyethylene tanks eventually deserve replacement, and the inspection is when you find out.
Costs in 2026: €80 – €180 for a typical domestic roof tank clean and disinfect; wells run €150 – €400 depending on size and access. Replacing a tired tank runs €150 – €400 for the tank plus plumbing labour — often quoted in the same visit, with the plumber price guide covering the labour context.
The rhythm and the cheap upgrades
Every 1–2 years for a tank feeding taps and showers; annually for wells used for anything beyond irrigation. Between cleanings, three cheap upgrades do most of the work: an opaque, well-sealed lid (light is the algae switch), intact insect screens on vents and overflows, and a coarse filter on the tank outlet. Households with vulnerable members, or anyone drinking tank water, should be at the strict end — and most Maltese households sensibly drink filtered or bottled regardless.
Book it as one visit on Qabbad's plumber page — tank clean, valve check, and the geyser's anode while the water is off anyway. It slots naturally into the autumn maintenance rhythm, before winter rains test the lid seals.
Frequently asked questions
How often should a water tank be cleaned in Malta?
Every one to two years for roof tanks feeding the household, annually for wells in active use. Sun, dust and hard-water sediment make Maltese tanks foul faster than the same tank would elsewhere.
How much does water tank cleaning cost in Malta?
€80 to €180 for a standard domestic roof tank — drain, scrub, disinfect, refill and inspect. Wells run €150 to €400 depending on size and access.
Is roof tank water safe to drink in Malta?
Most households treat tank-fed taps as wash water and drink filtered, bottled or direct-mains water. A clean, sealed, opaque tank keeps wash water wholesome; drinking directly from an unmaintained roof tank is not recommended.