ALKHOBAR, 16 October — Crown Prince Abdullah, deputy premier and commander of the National Guard, and Sheikh Hamad, king of Bahrain, yesterday jointly commissioned the third phase of Alkhobar desalination plant and drinking water distribution system.
The plant, with a total capacity of 500,000 cubic meters of water and 800 megawatt electricity, will supply water to Eastern Province cities of Alkhobar, Dhahran, Dammam, Seehat, Qateef, Safwa and Ras Tannura. The project includes a 155-km pipeline.
Agriculture Minister and Acting Water Minister Dr. Abdullah Muammar said the Kingdom has been successful in developing an advanced desalination technology. There are 30 desalination plants in the Kingdom with a daily capacity of 2.8 million cubic meters of water and 5,000 megawatt electricity.
The minister disclosed that 60 percent of the project to supply water to Al-Ahsa and Abqaik has been completed. It will be completed next year.
Abdullah Al-Hosain, governor of Saline Water Conversion Corporation (SWCC), an independent organization which runs saline water plants in the country, estimated per capita consumption of water in the Kingdom at 300 liters daily. "This can be reduced to half by using hygienic materials available in the market," he said.
Also yesterday, Prince Abdullah inaugurated Saad Specialist Hospital, an affiliate of Saad Group, and toured the hospital’s advanced medical facilities.
Health Minister Dr. Osama Shubokshi said the hospital has 507 beds and 14 operation rooms as well as 48 beds in the intensive care unit, in addition to special clinics for treating burns and heart patients. There are also facilities for open-heart surgery and brain and neurological surgery.
Prince Abdullah, accompanied by Prince Sultan, second deputy premier and minister of defense and aviation, also inspected the Shati Al-Gharoob resort in Alkhobar.
Prince Abdullah is scheduled to open a 300-bed King Abdul Aziz Hospital in Al-Ahsa today.
The hospital, which is under the National Guard, has advanced medical facilities and a helipad to provide air ambulance services.
The crown prince will also open the Prince Abdullah Military City for the National Guard in Al-Ahsa. Covering an area of three million square meters, the city has facilities for various National Guard battalions in addition to electricity and desalination plants.
