The Saline Water Conversion Corporation (SWCC) has denied reports that there is a shortage of water in Khamis Mushayt, which earlier saw hundreds of fearful residents crowding distribution points to stock up.

Yazid Al-Ayed, director general of the SWCC in Asir, said that there were problems with supply from the company over the past few days, but this did not constitute a crisis.

He said there was still adequate supply but some citizens, believing rumors that there was a shortage, had inundated distribution points. He said the SWCC was still distributing desalinated water from its Al-Shaqiq plant according to its summer schedule.

He said that there would be problems with water supply from time to time because of the weather and other technical reasons. However, some people would panic if they heard such news. He said water tankers had returned to distribution points with water, which shows that there adequate supply.

Those who rushed to distribution points wanted large amounts of water. He said a similar situation took place two years ago.

Al-Ayed said water plants are working longer hours and supplying adequate amounts because of the summer season when consumption doubles because of the poor rationing culture in the country.

He said the SWCC has also completed its water desalination plant in Marba, which has a capacity to handle 50,000 cubic meters a day.