Filtered refill water top-up points now in Malta
The older I get, the more I become aware of sustainability and small changes I can make to make a big difference. Plastic is bad. We all know this. We are producing too much, throwing out too much and basically ruining the Earth with it. Now you can reduce your plastic waste and save money with Water Point stations in Malta.
Yes, ideally, we all fit reverse osmosis taps in our kitchens but they are a little expensive to install (worth it though) and when renting, it's not always up to you. So, for those who cannot (for whatever reason) install a filtered tap, you should absolutely start using Water Point filling stations.
Hang onto whatever plastic bottles you have right now and reuse them time and time again by heading to your nearest water filling station in Malta and filling them will cool, filtered water that is safe to drink and tastes great.
Where to refill water in Malta?
There are currently 9 different refilling stations around the island:
Mellieha (behind Munchies)
Paceville, St Julians (opposite Vivaldi Hotel)
Iklin (Higher Secondary School)
Balzan Centre
San Gwann (next to Bocci Club)
Gzira Petrol Station (near Manoel Island)
Msida Circus
Airport Petrol Station
Marsaxlokk (tourist office)
How do the Water Points filter water?
It's a good question and I read some uninformed theories online but this water is totally safe to drink. They pull water from the usual water supply, then put it through a Microfiltration process where it's treated with a UV sterilizer to make sure it is perfectly safe and clean for human consumption. The water is then stored in the water points and refrigerated. The points do have options for both still and sparkling water but, in Gzira and Msida anyway, the sparkling is out of stock 90% of the time.
How to use
It could not be simpler. Not all of the machines work in exactly the same way but they all come with instructions and it's as simple as bringing your water bottle, putting it under the spout, inserting your coins and pressing your selection.
At Msida Circus, you have one button for still and one for sparkling and it ejects 1 litre at a time. So if you have a 5-litre bottle, you wait for the first litre to finish, then press again and so on, until the bottle is full.
At Gzira petrol station, you have a number of options. You have buttons for 0.5 litres, 1 litre, 2 litres and 5 litres, so if you put a 5-litre bottle under the nozzle, select the corresponding button and it'll fill up all at once.
Save money and plastic
By reusing the same bottles over and over you will dramatically reduce the amount of plastic you are using. I know many plastics can be recycled but many can't and many that can be, aren't, so reduction is always the better option.
On top of that, the water works out much cheaper than buying it at the supermarket. The price varies a little depending on the location but ranges from 15c at most stations to 20c in St Julians and Mellieha. This means a 1-litre bottle of water costs €0.15! A 5-litre bottle costs just €0.75 at Water Point compared to anything from €1.50 to €3 in supermarkets.
How much will I save?
Between two of us, we seem to get through roughly 15 litres of still water per week, costing €2.25. This means we are wasting between 3 - 7 plastic bottles less per week (depending on whether you buy a 5-litre or 2-litre bottle usually) and saving around €20 to €30 per month. We have three 5-litre bottles right now that we reuse each time and we have quite a few points close by so it gets us up off the sofa and adds a little extra exercise as well!
Why should I refill water?
If you give even the tiniest shit about the planet, then stop being responsible for the creation of so much waste. The more people reuse and reduce, the less big corporations will need to produce and the faster they will come up with more eco-friendly alternatives. Just by being alive, we are destroying the Earth so it is your responsibility to make these changes wherever you can. And, if you don't care about saving the planet, consider the money you'll save instead.