RIYADH, 3 October 2004 — A nationwide water conservation campaign was launched here yesterday. Minister of Water and Electricity Abdullah Al-Hussayen inaugurated the campaign at the Marriott Hotel.
Subsequently the minister visited a number of Saudi houses in order to distribute items to be used in conserving water. The theme of the campaign is “The Decision Is in Your Hands.”
The first phase of the campaign will include Riyadh, Makkah, Madinah, Eastern Province, Asir, Tabuk, Qasim, Hail, Baha, Jizan, Najran and Al-Jouf. The minister called upon all citizens and expatriates to cooperate with the campaign.
As part of the campaign, the ministry aims to create public awareness through the print and electronic media. The idea is to show both citizens and expatriates how to conserve water. Four million free accessories in tool kits will be given away; the accessories are easy to use and are expected to reduce water consumption by 30 percent.
“Water is the Kingdom’s most valuable resource, and its management and protection is of paramount importance,” Al-Hussayen said, adding that one million cubic meters of water is wasted in the Kingdom every day. “The campaign will make the public aware of the dangers of careless water use and encourage them to use proper conservation tools and fix leaks.”
The Kingdom will require a capital investment averaging nearly $2 billion per year for the next 20 years to meet projected water demand. Saudi Arabia has established 30 desalination plants on the Red Sea and the Arabian Gulf at a total cost of SR54 billion and is the world’s largest supplier of desalinated water.
Over the next five years, the country will require 4,500 km of new pipeline for freshwater transport and over 22,000 km for wastewater disposal pipes. Leakage in sewage and pipelines will be reduced by five percent during the next five years, he said.
According to a spokesman at the Saline Water Conversion Corporation (SWCC), desalination will remain a strategic option for meeting the country’s potable water requirement.
