Urgent plan to control sewage overflows urged

Makkah Gov. Prince Khaled Al-Faisal yesterday urged officials to implement an urgent plan to resolve the problem of sewage and groundwater overflows in various Jeddah districts.
Prince Khaled was speaking during a meeting attended by Jeddah Gov. Prince Mishaal bin Majed, Mayor Hani Aburas and National Water Company (NWC) CEO Luay Al-Musallam.
“The work should start in worst-affected areas,” Prince Khaled said. Work should start immediately in Haramain, Ajawid and Harazat districts. He said the residential districts in Jeddah should reflect the progress achieved by the city.
Prince Mishaal said a committee has been formed to identify the districts affected by the overflow of underground water.
“This committee will follow the repair work on the ground and facilitate government procedures to ensure quick implementation of work in three phases,” said Prince Mishaal.
During the first phase, emergency measures will be taken to stop overflows. The second phase will start after nine months, and the third after a year. “Within a week we’ll set out a timeframe for carrying out the project,” the Jeddah governor said.
Officials from the mayoralty and NWC said they have already started work in 18 Haramain, Harazat and Ajawid districts. Ten contracts have been signed for this purpose.
The water company said it was working on two projects in Ajawid and Haramain to stop water overflows at a cost of SR 55 million, adding that the project would take eight months to complete.
Another contractor has started work in Sanabil district. Work has started on an emergency basis in the four districts of Haramain, Ajawid, Samir and Quwaiza, the company said. The work involves removal of sewage and underground water from the streets of these districts and taking precautionary measures to prevent such overflows in future.