JEDDAH, 17 October 2004 — There was acute shortage of water in many of Jeddah’s residential districts on the first day of Ramadan as a result of a large number of people lining up in front of the water supply department in Aziziya district for their turn to fill their tankers.
There were occasional fistfights as people lost their cool standing in the queue for long hours, Al-Madinah reported yesterday.
The water crisis led to a black market where water was sold for SR300 per truck instead of the usual SR114. “We always experience water shortage in summer as well as in Ramadan. I do not know when water is going to be available for all people,” Muhammad Atour said.
“I got my number on Thursday but until Friday my turn has not come,” said Muhammad Al-Nawas.
