Water is crucial to the creation and sustenance of every living thing. Plants, humans, and everything in between need an adequate clean water supply to be able to live. 

Although as the Maltese islands we’re surrounded by water, the beautiful salty seas that make up such a huge part of our culture cannot sustain us. 

That’s why ever since the Knights of St John came to Malta back in 1530, we’ve been looking for ways to capture any rainfall and save it. 

Saving is usually for rainy days, but with the sun shining down on us almost 365 days a year – we need to save up a good water supply for all of those sunny days! 

Throughout the years, various reservoirs and wells have been built into Maltese architecture to be able to allow each family to collect as much rainwater as possible and help increase the island’s water supply.

Our dry climate paired with the lack of rivers and mountains meant that the Knights needed to excavate reservoirs all around the island and especially in the built-up populated areas, such as Valletta/Floriana and the 3 cities. Directed by Grand Master Antoine de Paul, Manoel De Vilhena & and other important knights that ruled the island – the aim of the reservoirs was to balance the water supply, therefore storing water during the winter months when flow from natural springs was at its highest to then supplementing us during the summer months with the lowest baseflow.

The Alter Aqua project, a partnership between the Energy and Water Agency and Global Water Partnership – Mediterranean, with support from The Coca-Cola Foundation and GSD Marketing Ltd., sees in these reservoirs the key to rediscovering Malta’s culture of water-saving and preparing for the challenges of climate change. Most recently, Alter Aqua undertook the restoration of the forgotten reservoir under Victory square in Vittoriosa, which can hold up to 800,000 litres of rainwater. 

To help bring the glory of these reservoirs to the light, Alter Aqua has teamed up with designer and photographer Steven Mallia, who is on a mission to photograph and document all of the unique water supply reservoirs found across Malta and Gozo. 

With very little research and preservation done when it comes to this crucial element of our culture – Steven Mallia has made it his goal to locate, uncover, and photograph these wonderful wells. 

Mallia says that “if there is a garden, 99% there is a well”. Just over the last two years – Mallia has located and photographed over 200 reservoirs across Malta and Gozo. But, finding them and documenting these reservoirs is no easy task.

Entry points are usually hidden due to excavation and buildings being developed over them. But, Steven Mallia did not let this stop him. Asking around towns, sifting through archives and playing detective are all ways that Mallia gained access to the entry points. 

Now, the issue of photographing them arises. With most reservoirs not being suitable for humans to enter and the water levels affecting greatly the state of the reservoir, this project takes a lot of trial and error. 

For this project, Mallia created specialised photographic equipment that lets him take photos of the reservoir from above. Using a self-balancing tripod and an 8-metre long “selfie stick type” of equipment – Mallia can take panoramic photos of the reservoirs without ever needing to enter them. 

Malta’s water supply saving culture desperately needs to make a comeback. Restoring such rainwater harvesting reservoirs, maintaining dams and water holding structures such as Chadwick lakes is one of the ways we can combat climate change and rising energy costs. 

Laws are put in place to combat this as well. With newly built buildings needing to have a reservoir excavated under the garage, some efforts are being done, but this isn’t enough. Once the reservoir is excavated, no one is appointed to ensure that it will actually be used as intended, let alone maintained in the future.

Steven Mallia is close to completing a photographic book presenting these magnificent structures, while Alter Aqua is moving forward with reservoir restorations, currently working on the found at the Auberge de France in Vittoriosa. 

Working together to restore, preserve and utilise these reservoirs is the only way Malta and Gozo can continue consuming and utilising the limited rainwater that falls and flows through our streets. Our water supply truly is limited, so every little drop counts. 

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Cover Image Credit: Steve Mallia/ Il-Gibjun – Luqa Naval Reservoir – Famously known as the “Sunken Cathedral” in recent highlights, since it was open to the public. Constructed at around 1907 to serve as a fire fighting reservoir for the Dockyards in Cospicua. Luckily this reservoir will be serving the public potable domestic water again which is under the WSC (water Services Corporation) care.