The Jeddah Mayoralty is facing mounting pressure from irate residents to provide a lasting solution to the leakage of sewage water from the precautionary dam in the Al-Samer District. The residents of Al-Samer District have asked officials to stop their current plans until they find a more effective solution which will guarantee that citizens will not be harmed by the leaks. On behalf of residents of Al-Samer District, Muhammad Bin Ali Al-Qahtani suggested that officials from the municipal council and the mayoralty stop pumping the sewage from the dam until they can install steel pipes leading from the second precautionary dam to the concrete channel, that leads to the sea. This would ensure that there is no leakage of sewage water towards the homes of citizens and residents. Pipes currently being used have exploded because of the water pressure. To deal with leaks heading to the homes of residents, the mayoralty has had to postpone its plans to pump sewage water collected behind the precautionary dam until the end of this week. The mayoralty started Monday pumping the leaking sewage water back into the lake behind the precautionary dam to prevent it from reaching the houses of residents, which are only a few meters away from the dam. The mayoralty has dug two huge ditches to collect the sewage water and had been pumping it back into the area behind the dam using huge pumps. It had been discovered that the pipes installed for carrying the sewage water from the precautionary dam to a concrete channel leading to the sea, had exploded in some parts because of the huge water pressure. The pipes were installed on an experimental basis by a contractor to test their durability. Informed sources said the pipes had exploded three times. Every time that they repaired it, it had exploded again. This showed that there was a need to use quality pipes. An official at the mayoralty, who declined to give his name, said the mayoralty had expecting such problems in the area because it was full of underground water. He said the mayoralty has taken the necessary precautionary measures to pump out the leaked water and channel it through the pipes which had been installed especially for the concrete channel, which is linked to the flood canal running through the city towards the sea. He stressed that the dam which was constructed in Al-Samer District was partly made of earth to prevent the flow of water and not to prevent leaks.
