Saudi Arabia Enhances Water Supply For Hajj Pilgrims With Innovative Solutions

The influx of pilgrims and Umrah performers to Makkah and other holy sites has historically posed significant challenges due to limited water resources in the Arabian Peninsula. Over the centuries, the increasing number of pilgrims exacerbated this issue. The "Ain Zubaydah" project, initiated nearly 1,200 years ago by Zubaydah bint Ja'far ibn al-Mansur, addressed this problem by diverting water from Wadi Numan to Makkah.

During the reign of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, a seawater desalination unit was established in 1348 AH to supplement freshwater sources. This effort continued with the establishment of desalination plants on the Red Sea coast, in Jeddah in 1401 AH, and in Shuaiba in 1409 AH. These initiatives aimed to secure a reliable water supply for pilgrims during the Hajj season.

The Saudi Water Authority (SWA) supervised the operation of the Water Transmission and Technologies Company (WTTCO) first pump in Al-Jumum Governorate's second pumping station at the start of this year's Hajj season, 1445 AH. This is part of the Rabigh-Jeddah-Makkah (RJM) Water Transmission System, valued at over SAR4 billion with a total pipe length of about 650 km. This system ensures water supply to governorates and towns in the Makkah Region, aligning with Saudi Vision 2030.

WTTCO has prepared to supply up to 1.3 million cubic meters per day to the Makkah Region after immersion tanks reached full operational capacity. These tanks exceeded their design storage capacity of over a million cubic meters. The efficiency of pumping stations was increased by 125% of their design capacity, and operational storage quantities were raised to 98% of design storage capacity.

SWA emphasized its readiness for water production, transmission, storage, and distribution to meet this year's Hajj season demand. This aligns with directives from leadership aiming to ensure that pilgrims perform their rituals with ease as part of Saudi Vision 2030. SWA announced it pumped approximately one billion litres of water in Makkah and holy sites during the Day of Tarwiyah as part of its operational plan.

SWA utilizes all its capabilities and resources during Hajj, increasing water supply to levels comparable to last year. This effort underscores the commitment to serving pilgrims and ensuring they have access to necessary resources during their spiritual journey.

With inputs from SPA