JEDDAH: For a second consecutive day yesterday more than 1,600 drivers of sewage tankers went on strike because of new regulations imposed by a contracting company in charge of Jeddah’s sewage sites.
The regulations were introduced following Jeddah municipality’s decision to contract the management of Jeddah’s sewage disposal sites to the National Water Company, which in turn subcontracted another company that brought in the new regulations. Tanker drivers claim the new rules are “unfair.”
Abdullah Al-Silami, a Jeddah municipality official, said that if the standoff continues, the city could witness “an environmental disaster.” “The problem is still continuing for the second day,” he added.
Al-Silami said truck drivers used to deal directly with the municipality, which handled the sewage sites, and that drivers were comfortable with the municipality’s regulations. “The new subcontractor has now imposed new regulations, timings and prices ... This has created a problem,” he said.
He noted that the problem is not the responsibility of Jeddah Municipality, and that the drivers and subcontracting company should resolve the issue among themselves. He added that if the situation were to continue, then the municipality would intervene.
Truck drivers have been crowding dumpsites, refusing to dump their loads in protest at the new rules. The handling company has also hung signs listing its new regulations in front of each site. The regulations stipulate drivers register their vehicles at one particular dumpsite and fines for delays in dumping sewage.
The new regulations also ban truck drivers from disposing solid waste, which was previously allowed; drivers are to be charged SR5 to SR10, depending on the size of the truck, for each visit.
The strike has also doubled the price of sewage trucks from SR90 to SR180. Al-Silami said this has now led to drivers illegally dumping their sewage at undesignated locations.
The National Water Company subcontracted the actual handling of the sites to another company and has assumed responsibility of managing the overall workflow.
