MAKKAH, 18 September 2007 — The General Presidency for the Two Holy Mosques Affairs has made available an additional 16,000 water drums to the Zamzam Water Distribution Administration to meet increased demand for the holy water inside the Grand Mosque and its courtyards during Ramadan.

“The administration received 16,000 new water drums for use in the current season. The drums have been placed at various locations in and around the mosque and are refilled several times a day,” Ayfan Al-Joaed, director of the Administration of Zamzam Water Distribution in the Grand Mosque, told Arab News yesterday.

Speaking about the average consumption of Zamzam inside the Grand Mosque, Al-Joaed said, “This is estimated at 2,600 cubic meters a day inside the Grand Mosque and 1,400 cubic meters outside. More than 400 cubic meters of water is sent every day to the Prophet’s Mosque in Madinah.”

Drinking Zamzam water is among the traditions of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him).

Al-Joaed said more locations were being prepared for the distribution of Zamzam-filled cans to pilgrims outside the mosque. The new locations include Al-Fatah Gate, the Al-Gazza distribution center and the King Abdul Aziz Road in Kudai.

He added that 72 employees were working round the clock to supervise the Zamzam supply. More than 500 people are working in two shifts in cleaning the containers and drums, supplying water and replacing used plastic cups inside the mosque.

The administration also ensures that workers are not suffering from any sort of diseases, he said. The workers should carry valid medical certificates issued by the Preventive Medicine Department in the Ministry of Health.

According to Hamoud ibn Saleh, director of the Cleaning and Carpets Administration at the Grand Mosque, the General Presidency of the Two Holy Mosques supplied 30,000 new large prayer mats to cover the entire floor of the Grand Mosque.

Hamoud said cleaners remove 80 tons of garbage daily. The volume of waste is likely to increase to 115 tons a day during the last 10 days of Ramadan. About 40 officials supervise the cleaning operations, which is undertaken by 2,000 cleaners in the holy complex on a round the clock basis.

He added that over 500 temporary workers are recruited in peak seasons. He put the number of various cleaning equipment used at the Grand Mosque and the courtyard at 600.

The official urged worshippers to help the administration keep the holy premises clean by throwing waste into waste bins.