The building of the Qrendi reservoir or as is better known, the San Niklaw reservoir, was started in 1955 and completed three years later in 1958. The reservoir has a capacity of 55,000 cubic meters of water (247,500cubic gallons) with a daily supply rate averaging 20,000 cubic meters (90,000 cubic gallons).

Nourishment of the Qrendi reservoir is from the Reverse Osmosis plant at Ghar Lapsi, from nearby boreholes and from the pumping station at Ta’ Kandja, occasionally being supplemented, on demand, with water from the Ta’ Qali reservoir.

The ratio of water supplied to the San Niklaw reservoir varies from 55% of its intake from the Reverse Osmosis Plant, to 45% of its intake as supplied from the underground water table sources.

The San Niklaw reservoir supplies drinking water to the Zonqor Reservoir at Marsakala, the Nigret Reservoir at Zurrieq, the Schimas Reservoir at Luqa and the Tal-Qattus reservoir at Ghaxaq.

Villages in the South of Malta that benefit from water supplied from the Qrendi San Niklaw reservoir are Birzebbuga, Cospicua, Fgura, Ghaxaq, Gudja, Kalkara, Kirkop, Luqa, Marsa, Marsaskala, Mqabba, Paola, Qrendi, Safi, Santa Lucia, Senglea, Tarxien, Vittoriosa, Xghajra, Zabbar, Zejtun and Zurrieq.

Reference
Parliamentary Question 6435 – 05/07/2004
By the Hon Dr. Joseph Sammut Ll.d. M.P