MAKKAH — Networks in the holy city have started receiving full water supply from Al-Shuaibah desalination plant from Thursday, a senior National Water Company (NWC) official has said. This was mainly possible through concerted efforts exerted by the Saline Water Conversion Corporation (SWCC) and NWC, Abdullah Ahmad Hasanain, Director of Makkah and Taif Works Unit in the water company said. The water supply to the holy city, disrupted for over two weeks, was possible only after repair work was carried out in the major pipeline that connects the plant to the million-cubic-meter tank in Makkah, the official said. Hasanain said water began flowing to Makkah at dawn Thursday from where it was immediately transferred to the network and pipelines were operated and filled in preparation for dispatching water to residences. Hasanain said they have started pumping and distributing water to most of the districts of Makkah. The daily pumping cycle has reached 35 percent with quantities of water reaching 415,000 cubic meters per day. They include the districts of Al-Zaher, Faisal Badr, Al-Azizia Al-Sharqiyah, Wadi Jaleel, districts of the Central Area (Ajyad, Al-Misfalah and Al-Massafi), Al-Malawi Al-Yusra, Al-Ma'abdah Al-Muthallath, Ree' Dhakhir, Dahlat Al-Jinn, Sab' Al-Banat, Jabal Al-Ka'bah, Al-Magharibah, Al-Mansouriyah, behind Saudi Arabian Monetary Agency (SAMA), behind Al-Bashawri, Jabal Juhaishah, Al-Gashlah, Al-Kidwah, Harat Hummos and Kuday. On Saturday, the daily pumping cycle will reach 50 percent and by Ramadan the pumping cycle will reach 100 percent. Hasanain called on the residents to rationalize water consumption until water pressures can be gradually restored. Hasnain added that the demand for water from the distribution points has decreased by 35 percent and it will decrease by a further 50 percent on Saturday. He pointed out that 20 percent of the water arriving in Makkah will be diverted for filling strategic tanks. — SG/SPA
