A technician washing the inside wall of a water tank with a pressure hose

Water tank cleaning in Safa Makkah

Safa is a renamed scheme at the far south of Al Sharai between Wadi Al Sharai and Wadi Uranah, where most ground is still vacant and building is sparse, so tanks that are filled for the first time receive water from a network crossing open ground and dry wadi beds. Cleaning must remove silt and sand washed down from the surrounding wadis.

Call now Message us on WhatsApp

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 Safa

Tanks in Safa fill slowly and carry a thick layer of brown silt from wadi beds, particularly in the first season after rain recharges the channels. The method is set out in full on what Water tank cleaning involves.

The first reason

Dry wadis around Safa carry very heavy silt loads

Wadi Al Sharai and Wadi Uranah carry thick silt deposits after rain and dry quickly, but pipes running through them may carry clay and sand residue into new tanks downstream.

The second reason

Low ground and open space create very high humidity

Safa is low ground caught between hills and wadi channels, so moisture pools around tanks and the sparse building offers no shelter from damp and salt carried by wadi air.

The third reason

Rare building in the area means network instability

Because the district is not yet occupied and building is sparse, the network does not function efficiently and pipes carry heavy silt deposits. First tanks to fill receive very cloudy water.

Safa on the map

Safa sits about 3.5 km from Kawthar and about 4.5 km from Mughammas.

Open in Google Maps

Before treatment

The condition of the tank decides the method

The zone lies between Jabal Al Tariqi and the beds of dry wadis that fill and empty with the rains, with low level ground where moisture and silt can accumulate.

Fine brown sediment beneath shallow water

The layer on the floor

The settled layer on the floor in Safa is dark brown from heavy wadi silt, and needs strong suction and scrubbing for complete removal.

Light and algae

Light enters the few tanks in Safa easily but the low wet ground does not support heavy algae growth.

A damp concrete wall carrying a dark deposit

The deposit on the wall

Walls carry a brown clay and fine silt coating and need high pressure washing before any disinfectant is applied.

A concrete surface with a fine hairline crack

The lining and hairline cracks

The concrete lining may absorb moisture from the low ground and nearby wadis, causing internal dampness and hairline cracks.

The lid of a water tank on a building roof

The lid and the access hatch

Tank lids and access ports in Safa are simple because building is incomplete, making them easy to open but also allowing damp and dust entry.

A plastic pipe leaving the exterior wall of a building

The vent and the overflow pipe

Ventilation and overflow vents stand open and dry wadi winds carry dust and sand that blows directly into the tank through every opening.

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.

The character of Safa

New development: ongoing construction and vacant plots between the homes

Ongoing construction and mostly vacant plots mean tanks may fill before building around the district is done, so incoming water carries all the sediment from nearby wadis and the new unstable network.

Questions about this district

The land in Safa is planned and the tank is new. When should we clean before building?

If the tank has filled with network water before construction begins, clean it at once, as silt laden water may corrode new house plumbing and fittings.

The water we filled the new tank with in Safa is very cloudy. Is that normal?

In Safa water from the network carries silt and clay from the surrounding wadis, and the new tank receives this heavy water directly before the network has stabilised.

The tank sits on empty land with very high humidity around it. Is that dangerous?

Humidity from nearby wadis and the low ground may cause slow seepage around the tank base, but this does not enter the water if the tank is properly sealed.

After rain the water from the tank is very cloudy. Where does it come from?

The network runs through wadis and low ground, so when it rains the wadis carry heavy silt into the network and the tank receives this thick water directly.

Does a Safa tank need more frequent filter replacement than other districts?

Yes, filters in Safa need close checking and quick replacement because water carries heavy sediment from the wadis and open ground.

When is best to clean a Safa tank by season?

Right after the rain season ends is the best time to clean tanks in Safa, when the water has carried the heaviest silt load.

How much does water tank cleaning in Safa 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 Safa.