MAKKAH — A contract was signed on Tuesday to establish a Zamzam water bottling factory to distribute the holy water among pilgrims. The SR20 million contract, which will last 15 years, was signed between the unified office of the Zamzama (suppliers of Zamzam water) and the Water Technology Company (WTC), a national firm. Chairman of the office Sulaiman Abu Gheelah said the new factory would replace the existing one at Al-Rusaifah district that will be demolished to make room for new projects in Makkah. He said the factory will bottle Zamzam water during the Haj seasons and will deliver the packages to the office for distribution among pilgrims who will be staying in more than 6,000 housing units. “The agreement was sponsored by the Al-Zaidi Investment Group, which has provided more than 100 apartments close to the factory for the accommodation of workers.” Abdullah Baqatadah, deputy chairman of the WTC, said the factory will be established on an area of 10,000 square meters. He added the company will continue bottling natural water throughout the year, except during the Haj season when it will start bottling Zamzam. He said: “The factory will be launched early 2013 with two production lines producing 4,000 five-gallon packages and 12,000 bottles per hour.” The factory will be supplied with modern sterilizing equipment, he said. Abu Qatadah said a permanent exhibition displaying the historical phases of the bottling of the holy water that has continued for more than 700 years will be constructed near the factory. “This exhibition will allow local and foreign visitors to find out how the water has been pumped out of the well and bottled for distribution.”
