New tap water grant scheme available in Malta

Malta is embarking on a new incentive to encourage residents to switch away from bottled water and use tap water in Malta for drinking.

The benefits are there for Malta as a nation to switch away from years of plastic bottled water habits. Plastic bottled water has many health concerns and every day we see more research on the subject of plastic bottles and the harm caused by microplastics and endocrine disrupters.

Its not only the environment and health, but a huge waste of time and energy to fully engage as a householder with the BCRS and recycling systems.

With a huge improvement in water quality over the past few years and the announcement of a national blend, meaning a consistent quality of tap water across all of Malta which was also launched by We Are Water part of WSC in Malta at the same time the Government through the Ministry of the Environment has upgraded the incentives on offer for households to switch to tap water in Malta for drinking water.

The stumbling block is taste. It is still the case that many people do not approve of the taste of tap water in Malta and so both the tap water scheme and the WAW initiative aptly titled the tap water revolution in Malta suggest the use of activated carbon filters.

The new tap water grant scheme in Malta offers a significant rebate of 60% of the initial cost of activated carbon water filters subject to am maximum grant of €100.

Here at Tappwater Malta we have created the Max pack Starter Packs to fully maximise this $100 grant and bring the annual cost of the first two years down to just €44 after the grant for a family of up to 7 persons.

A couple or single person would have costs of just over €30 a year for the first two years.

The details of the grant system are below and we have a dedicated Malta Tap Water Grant Hub which we update on a regular basis with new information and where you can find the application forms and a detailed breakdown of how to complete them.

Eligibility for the grant

The applicant must be the home owner and the equipment purchased must be for domestic use, so no landlords, renters or businesses can benefit. In addition the applicant must not have had a grant for water purification before and the ARMS bill must be in the applicants name.

Its also important that the equipment was paid for by the applicant or a member of the household living at the residence.

What type of water filters quality for the tap water scheme in Malta

Only equipment that is fitted and uses activated carbon filters as the primary filtration method, so Reverse Osmosis is not included in this grant scheme.

The reasoning behind this is given in the Tap water Revolution website

A simple carbon filter is all you need to enjoy great-tasting tap water at home. WSC has already done the heavy lifting with their advanced RO treatment plants, making home RO systems unnecessary. Additionally, home RO systems are more expensive to purchase and waste up to 70% of water during the filtration process, making them both costly and environmentally inefficient. WSC

TAPP Water Filters are valid for this scheme and the popular choices ae the EcoPro and EcoPro Compact the choice between these two depend on household size.

It is also important that the system have a life span of 5 years, with regular filter changes and a warranty of at least 6 months.

How the grant works

There is a simple paper based application that can be delivered or posted to REWS in Malta and then the application will be considered.

If the application is rejected then the applicant will receive a letter, if accepted the grant will be paid to the bank account.

Terms and conditions of the tap water grant scheme in Malta

Its important to understand the terms and conditions on which the grant is payable. You must keep documentation and have the equipment available for inspection during the first 5 years after the grant.

How to maximise your tap water grant in Malta:

We confirmed with REWS that you can max out your grant at €100 per application by buying more filter packs with your Starter Pack, the maximum first invoice spend is capped at €166 with 60% grant of €100.