Turki Al-Qahtani Okaz/Saudi Gazette JEDDAH — Visitors to Jeddah's Middle Corniche are complaining of widespread growth of algae and the limited number of toilets. The Corniche stretches along a 3.6 kilometer area and cost the municipality SR250 million to develop, 60 percent of which was spent on infrastructure Experts claim that the algae-polluted seafront is the result of dumping sewage in the sea. Mohammad Mudarres, professor of micro-organisms at the Marine Sciences College, said the seafront facility that was recently thrown open to the public by the municipality is highly polluted. He said algae that form on rocks are the sign of the dangerous level of pollution as a result of discharging sewage into the sea. Mudarres said many representations had been made to the municipality over the last 15 years to stop the unhealthy practice. Sewage dumping causes a number of diseases, including eye inflammations, chest infections and upper respiratory problems. Mudarres said there had been similar cases in countries with similar pollution problems. He warned parents against allowing their children to come in contact with the waters in the Middle Corniche, and said the municipality should put up signs cautioning visitors from doing so. He contends that the only solution to the problem is to stop discharging sewage into the sea. Dr. Ali Eshqi, environmental consultant, agreed. “Algae are a dangerous sign of sea water pollution. These are very small organisms that affect the nervous system, and can cause paralysis or even death,” he said, adding that the Middle Corniche seafront contains nitrate and phosphate that can affect the respiratory system. Ahmad Al-Selemi, a visitor, said the Middle Corniche was not pleasing to the eye due to the algae pollution. Some children play in these waters, and there should be signs cautioning them against such activities. Dhaifullah Al-Ghamdi, another visitor, complained about lack of enough toilets in the area. “There are only three toilets along a 4 km-stretch on the Corniche,” he said. Jeddah municipality's information center said the municipality could not intervene in the Middle Corniche project, as it is the responsibility of the Jeddah Development Company.
