The National Water Company plans to pump 10 million cubic meters of water to the holy sites this year for the Haj, the same amount as last season, said the company’s chief executive officer recently.

Luay Al-Musallam told Arab News that a crew of 3,350 engineers and administrators, supervisors and trained technical staff would be working to ensure all operations run smoothly for this year’s Haj, particularly during emergencies.

He said the company has invested heavily in technology and mandatory training programs to uphold quality standards.

Al-Musallam said the company has installed Compass, one of the best international technical applications, to accurately monitor the activities of contractors and ensure compliance with quality standards. This includes overseeing the running of bathrooms at the holy sites.

The firm is also using the Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) system to monitor the water and sewage networks in Mina. The SCADA system has been linked to the main operations room, which operates around the clock to ensure better water and environmental services in Makkah and the holy sites.

Al-Musallam said the company is in the process of rehabilitating 100 compound toilets in Mina, maintaining and replacing over 30 percent of the old water pumps, and many of the valves on the old water networks. It has also installed cameras to monitor the sewers to ensure they are clean and maintained.

The company manages and operates all parts of the drinking water system, air conditioning, fire systems, and sanitation at compound toilets for pilgrims every Haj season. There are more than 3,000 compound toilets scattered across Mina, Arafat and Muzdalifah.

Al-Musallam said the company has introduced a mobile application to raise the performance and efficiency of operations and maintenance of compound bathrooms this year. The system also includes a global positioning function that allows crews to establish exactly where maintenance or repairs are needed. The system sends text messages automatically to maintenance teams.

Al-Musallam said the mobile application system would be used specifically for the Haj, and throughout the year to operate and maintain permanent compound toilets.

The company is implementing a Smart Laboratory System, which sends signals and electronic readings remotely from the water network, receives and analyzes them automatically, and sends early warnings to operation and maintenance teams to manage situations immediately.

He said that more than 2.4 million bottles of Zamzam water would be distributed during the pilgrimage season this year. This has seen the company double its seasonal staff at points of sale and distribution. This is part of the King Abdullah Zamzam distribution project.