
Water is the most important substance for human beings to thrive on this planet, right after oxygen. As a result of Dubai being a concrete jungle, the majority of our water sources for day-to-day usage comes from water storage tanks, which, depending on the size and structure of the facility, are categorised into three types – overhead water tanks, underground water tanks and ground level water tanks. These tanks are further classified based on their material composition, which ranges from reinforced cement concrete (RCC), plastic, fiberglass to steel.
As per the World Health Organisation, every year, more than 3.4 million people die as a result of water related diseases, making it the leading cause of disease and death around the world. Contaminated water is a result of anything from dirt and debris entering the main supply pipe to improper waste disposal and many other factors, natural or manmade. Groundwater, which is used to pump water into the tanks, is susceptible to infection by bacteria when impurities find their way into the groundwater stream. Along with commonly found bacteria such as Legionella, E.Coli, Shigella, Salmonella and Pseudomonas, the groundwater stream can also be a breeding ground for Blue-green algae, parasites such as Giardia Lamblia and viruses such as Influenza, Hepatitis-A and Norovirus.
A regularly cleaned water tank not only prevents the outbreak of disease due to pollutants but also keeps at bay common health problems such as cholera, dysentery and gastroenteritis. Apart from the health benefits, regular water tank cleaning is also cost effective and prolongs the tank life. When a tank is being maintained throughout the year at regular intervals, it not only saves time and money on repairs and replacement, as the tank structure is less prone to being damaged, but also reduces the probability of damage caused by corrosion. Additionally, cleaning and maintenance at intervals prevents plumbing issues such as leaks and blockages, which can be a result of sediment or silt clogging the pipeline system of the facility.
As a certified water tank cleaning service provider, ServeU’s Special Services division is responsible for round-the-year water tank cleaning and maintenance of all types of water tanks at our clients’ facilities. Our water tank cleaning and maintenance package is a combination of cleaning, disinfection and testing, as well tank maintenance, which is carried out in collaboration with our MEP division. The service frequency is in adherence to the rules and regulations stipulated by Dubai Municipality (DM), while the microbiological tests are only carried out by DM certified laboratories ensuring full compliance. Although DM regulations state that the tests need to be carried out after each water tank cleaning service, at ServeU we recommend carrying out the tests every quarter to ensure consistence in the water quality.
Audrey Hepburn once said that “Water is life and clean water means health,” which is true in all its entirety. Just as Planned Preventive Maintenance (PPM) positively impacts the asset lifecycle, water tank cleaning at regular intervals also positively impacts the human lifecycle by preventing disease outbreaks.