JEDDAH — Despite many deaths and damages from floods caused by rainfall in 2009 and 2011 and as recent as last month, the city of Jeddah is yet to see a fully operational rainwater drainage system. Studies conducted on the drainage system for the city's residential areas are still on paper, Jeddah municipality spokesman Mohammed Al-Baqami has admitted. The drainage network project for the city's main roads is only 30 percent complete, said Al-Baqami. His comments follow the remarks made a few days ago by Emir of Makkah Prince Khaled Al-Faisal that the municipality has not implemented the rainwater drainage projects, making it partly responsible for the delay. The Emir said he would forward a report to Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman. However, the department of the drainage of rain and flood waters in the Jeddah Governorate claimed that it has finished all the rainwater drainage projects. The department said eight projects worth SR3.388 billion were implemented by two Saudi and two foreign companies. The projects consisted of five dams and a number of new canals near King Abdulaziz International Airport. It said that 14 quick-solution projects were implemented as early as Nov. 30, 2011. The department said the eight drainage projects and the 14 quick-solution schemes have strengthened the basic infrastructure for the draining of rain and flood water. These projects necessitated the opening of 205 work stations involving 13,300 workers and 2,805 equipment and tools. More than 300 engineers and technicians were involved in the projects.
