‘Swamps’ a problem for Jeddah residents

JEDDAH: Residents in Al-Mosaed District in Jeddah have been complaining about the presence of swamps surrounding their homes and schools for more than six months.
They said an empty property nearby was drilled, and after work was completed, the site was not properly cleared up and bridged by the contractor overseeing the train project, which, in turn, resulted in groundwater swamps.
Residents have been demanding the intervention of Nazaha and the monitoring and investigation commission to stop the wasteful spending of public funds, and to investigate with those responsible.
Complaints to the National Water Company and Jeddah Municipality also went unanswered. They said sewage water has been flowing from the northern side due to lack of a sewerage system, and from the eastern side due to the dug-up hole left by the contractor, in turn raising concerns about the spread of dengue fever in the neighborhood.
Residents have been left confused about the party responsible for addressing the matter.
Bassam Ghalman, director general of the Haramain train project, denied any involvement of the project’s work in the issue. Upon complaining to Jeddah Municipality, residents were directed to the National Water Company, which also denied any responsibility and redirected them back to the train project contractor.
According to Saad Al-Ghamdi, the train project contractor began work in the area last year. They moved into an empty area of land nearby, and began drilling a large hole, until groundwater accumulated and formed a lake. He said they informed Civil Defense at the time, and they promised to require the contractor to address the issue, but nothing has been done. Soon, water began to flow like rivers into the streets, especially on the eastern and western sides of the neighborhood, he said, noting the water has caused damage to the streets, sidewalks, and possibly the buildings.
Riyad Al-Juhani said the sewage water in the large holes has been there for more than six months, and students jump over these wells to get to school. Despite repeated complaints and the seriousness of the matter, there has been no reaction from officials, he said.
Inquiries by a local paper to the National Water Company went unanswered.
For his part, Sami Al-Ghamdi, from the media center at Jeddah Municipality, said the swamps in the neighborhood are due to sewage water accumulation and groundwater that appears and disappears from time to time. He said treating the issue is the responsibility of the National Water Company, while the municipality is responsible for managing cleanliness by draining such water and clearing the surrounding areas in the province. He said the area is included within the weekly spraying program for insects.