Water tank cleaning in Al Shawqiyah, Makkah

Potable-rated materials

Linings and disinfectants cleared for drinking water tanks, not general-purpose products.
You get the downtime first

How many hours the tank is out of service, told before we start rather than after we finish.
A first-draw flush

We run the first draw off after refilling, and the tank is not handed back until the water runs clear.
Ground and roof tanks

Villas, apartment blocks and premises that need a written record of each visit.

Why the job is different in Al Shawqiyah

Tanks here pick up construction dust from ongoing projects faster than they would in older settled areas, and sediment layers build up with each cycle of the water supply. The method is set out in full on our Water tank cleaning service.

The first reason

Shops below flats mean doubled water demand

The ground floor shops in Al Shawqiyah run long hours and draw water hard, so tanks drain and refill more times per day than in purely residential areas. High throughput means sediment settles faster and taste and smell change quicker, making sediment management urgent and making cleaning cycles shorter than in quieter neighbourhoods.

The second reason

Construction dust around opens new routes in

Open building sites and land being developed surround Al Shawqiyah on all sides. Wind carries fine particles to tank vents and intake pipes, where they stick to the walls and cause cloudiness in water even after washing if deep cleaning has not been thorough. Dust keeps finding its way in through small cracks and unsealed edges.

The third reason

Old drains next to new ones strain the tanks

Parts of Al Shawqiyah have old drainage, other parts have new. The pressure on the tanks is uneven. Old tanks in the original buildings may already have cracks or need patching before we can safely disinfect them, which adds time and care to the job.

Al Shawqiyah on the map

Al Shawqiyah sits about 2 km from Al Kaakiyah and about 2.5 km from Al Malik Fahd.

Open in Google Maps

Before treatment

The condition of the tank decides the method

Al Shawqiyah sits between the Third Ring Road and Ibrahim Al Khalil Road with wide planned streets. Development projects and public parks surround it, drawing seasonal moisture and dust.

Fine brown sediment beneath shallow water

The layer on the floor

Fine dust and sand from the building sites nearby collect as a thin layer on the floor, and the shops which fill their tanks rapidly concentrate this sediment faster than domestic supply would.

Light and algae

Light gets in through small gaps in the tank lids where they sit loose, and with open land around Al Shawqiyah the sunlight encourages algae if the seal is not tight.

A damp concrete wall carrying a dark deposit

The deposit on the wall

White lime deposits and sometimes fine green algae coat the walls, especially in tanks that have not been cleaned in years.

A concrete surface with a fine hairline crack

The lining and hairline cracks

The cement render on older tanks is beginning to crack from ground movement and vibration caused by the building work around the site, and hairline cracks let dirty water seep in slowly.

The lid of a water tank on a building roof

The lid and the access hatch

Metal tank lids are sometimes rusted and the hinges want lubricating. The narrow access hatches on older apartment blocks slow the cleaning work down.

A plastic pipe leaving the exterior wall of a building

The vent and the overflow pipe

Old openings have no protective mesh and the overflow pipe collects insects and leaves from the vacant plots nearby, so it needs separate cleaning each time we service the tank.

How we work

1
Inspect before the drain

Tank type and material, the condition of the lining, the depth of the sediment, the lid and the vent, and where the drained water will go. We agree the window without supply before anything is opened.
2
Drain, then lift the sludge

The water leaves through the outlet, then the layer beneath it is taken out by hand and by suction. That layer is the reason for the visit, not the water that ran out ahead of it.
3
High pressure wash

Walls, floor and the joint where they meet, with a brush wherever the film resists, then the wash water is taken out completely so nothing we lifted settles again.
4
Disinfect and put back in service

Disinfectant over every internal surface, left for its contact time and then rinsed out, followed by the refill, a first draw off at the taps, and a report on what was inside the tank.

What water tank cleaning includes

An inspection before the valve

Tank type, lining condition, depth of sediment, lid and vent, recorded before any water leaves.
Full drain and sediment removal

The water through the outlet, and the layer below it by hand and by suction until the floor itself is showing.
Pressure washing walls and floor

High pressure across the surfaces and corners, and a brush on anything water alone will not lift.
Disinfection after the wash

A disinfectant intended for drinking water tanks, named to you before it is used, left for its contact time and then rinsed out.
Refill and the first draw off

We refill, run the taps so the new water moves through the pipework, and tell you when it is ready to use.
A report and the next date

What was inside the tank, anything on the lid or the lining that needs repair, and a sensible date for the next clean.

What is different about Al Shawqiyah Sub-Municipality

Al Shawqiyah sub municipality runs south from the Third Ring Road to the city's edge on the Al Layth road and the Jeddah expressway. Planned districts such as Al Shawqiyah, Al Malik Fahd and Bathaa Quraish have wide streets, villas and apartment blocks, while schemes in Wali Al Ahd are being built out and informal housing in Al Ukayshiyah and Al Zuhur is being cleared. The vegetable market and livestock auction at Souq Al Halaqa, open construction sites, the rocky slopes of Jabal Thawr and sewers still being laid through the southern fringe offer exposed food, shelter and moisture.

Questions about this district

Is the water cloudy right after washing a sign of a bad tank?

Cloudiness can come from the pipes or from the mains supply, not just from the tank itself. In Al Shawqiyah especially, dust enters through openings whilst building work is going on around the site. We make sure vents, intakes and the lid are all cleaned thoroughly to rule this out first.

Do apartment building tanks need different cleaning than villa tanks?

Yes, very different. An apartment tower's tank serves dozens of families so the flow is higher and sediment heavier. A villa tank is smaller but may be much older. In mixed Al Shawqiyah we adjust our method to fit the tank size and the age of the building.

Why does the water go cloudy again after just one week?

If cloudiness comes back quickly, look for hairline cracks in the tank walls that let dirty water seep in from outside. In Al Shawqiyah where ground movement from building work is common, cracks show up more often than elsewhere.

Do the shops need a different cleaning schedule than homes?

Yes. Shops use water faster, so sediment builds up more quickly. We recommend shorter cleaning intervals for shops and food outlets than for ordinary residential flats.

Is your cleaning safe for the food shops next door?

Yes, we use approved disinfectants that are safe in occupied spaces. We plan the timing with the shop owners to avoid their busy hours, and good ventilation clears any smell within hours.

Does the tank need to be taken apart during cleaning?

We only open it up if we find a leak or deep cracks that need mending. In most cases thorough washing, rinsing and disinfection is enough without dismantling.

How much does water tank cleaning in Al Shawqiyah cost?

It is set after the inspection, because the price follows the type of infestation, the size of the space, how far it has spread and the number of visits it needs. Send a photo and a description on WhatsApp and we will give you an estimate before we reach Al Shawqiyah.