Citizens and residents in Makkah have been urged to refrain from having their cars washed on the streets owing to its impact on the health and the environment.

Ali Al-Zahran, spokesman of the Traffic Administration of the Holy City, said his administration led a campaign during which it found 87 sites where vehicles were being washed in the streets. He stressed that these inspections will continue.

A number of citizens have called on authorities for a campaign against car washing on the streets saying that the increased presence of car wash sites operated by expats is leading to health and environmental problems, such as dengue fever, and spread of harmful chemicals.

They claimed that most of the water used is taken from the irrigation water for trees, and demanded that authorities intensify field inspections and arrest those washing vehicles on the streets.

Muhammad Al-Harbi, Hani Jamali, and Fahd Al-Hassani said that most car owners prefer to have their cars washed at these sites as they find the prices reasonable and also because they find regular car washing sites congested.

Faisal Al-Zahrani, Khalid Al-Hbani, and Osman Al-Hawsawi, said that field campaigns must be intensified against irregular car washing sites run by expats especially as these sites are a source of contaminated water that in turn affects the environment and is a potential health hazard.

Osama Zaytoni, spokesman of the Secretariat of the Holy City, said field teams from each municipality are tasked with monitoring car washing on the streets, and authorities have confiscated the tools used for washing, as well as prevented the use of public water sources.