Efforts are underway to pump drinking water from the heart of Rub Al-Khali (Empty Quarter), a vast desert located in the southeastern part of the Arabian Peninsula to the Asir region in order to meet the demand of people living in the southwestern part of the Kingdom. Water and Electricity Ministry's officials and engineers wanted to implement this SR2 billion project challenging the difficult geographical and topographical conditions. It is one of the largest projects being implemented by the ministry in the southern region. "So far the government has allocated SR1.84 billion for the project," said Ali Al-Qassimi, spokesman of the ministry's office in Abha. Some of its vital phases have been completed. Water would be pumped from Haud Al-Wajeed in Rub Al-Khali to Bisha and Tathlith and its surrounding villages. The project is designed to supply 67,000 cubic meters of water in the preliminary stage while its total capacity would reach 108,000 cubic meters. "Geographical formations are one of the main sources of water," the spokesman said, adding that the ministry has been making every effort to exploit sources such as Rub Al-Khali. Saudi Arabia holds 80 percent of Rub Al-Khali, which is approximately 1,200 km long and 650 km wide. With a total area of 650,000 sq. km. it is among the largest continuous deserts in the world. Its eastern edge extends to the UAE while its southern border is Oman. Parts of its southern and southwestern limits are in Yemen. "The ministry is trying to do the impossible in its bid to supply drinking water to the people of Asir region," Al-Qassimi told Al-Madinah Arabic daily while praising the support of Asir Emir Prince Faisal Bin Khaled to the pioneering project. Some water projects in the region are in the final stages, he said. They include the pipeline to Tathlith and its surrounding villages and another pipeline to Bisha and its surrounding areas. A water purification and treatment station will also be constructed as part of the Rub Al-Khali project, which will supply water to Yudma, a principality in the Najran region. "There are some projects under implementation while some others have been awarded to contractors," Al-Qassimi said. Tenders will be called for another set of new projects. A water collection tank will be established east of Tathlith in addition to a pumping station in Wajeed. Al-Qassimi said his department has constructed 20 wells in addition to a pumping station to pump water to the collection tank and two pipelines from Tathlith to water purification station. "We have constructed pipelines from the collection tank to various parts of Bisha," Al-Qassimi added.
