The Eastern Province Municipality has installed wireless surveillance cameras in some of its Dammam flood drainage tunnels to monitor water levels and check if contractors are carrying out regular maintenance operations.

Mohammed bin Abdulaziz Al-Soufaian, public relations and media director of the municipality, said management teams are currently testing the system in the tunnels.

“The system will ensure daily monitoring of the tunnels, especially when it rains. It also monitors the pump room in the tunnels that checks water levels.”

He said the system would allow municipal officials to supervise the work of contractors, to ensure they clean the tunnels, control the lighting system and do regular civil, mechanical and electrical maintenance work.

The monitoring system consists of a network of surveillance cameras that take high quality 180-degree shots at night and during the day, he said.

It is also linked to a wireless radio network for communication up to 19 km, connected to the municipality's control room. The system does not require connection to any mobile telecommunications company in the Kingdom. He said the Amana municipality is the first to use the system.

“A control and monitoring room has been established, which provides control panels, a server and video storage devices. The video recording time ranges from two to six months depending on the selected quality and the surveillance monitors,” he said.