An estimated 70 percent of Jeddah neighborhoods lack sewage networks, according to Iyad Al-Husseini, head of the action team of water and sewage networks project for the protection of environment in Jeddah.
He said the infrastructure is worn out, and 70 percent of the neighborhoods are not connected to sewage networks.
Al-Husseini was speaking on the sideline of a workshop held recently and discussed the strategic plan for the city of Jeddah.
The workshop was organized by the General Presidency of Meteorology and Environment Protection.
He said that areas not covered by the networks rely on septic tanks for sewage disposal, pointing out that this creates problems for residents as well as the environment.
Describing the state of sewage networks in some neighborhoods he said: “They are in a very bad shape, as construction works of some of them dates back to more than 25 years ago.” He said the lifespan of pipes is between 10 to 15 years.
“There is an urgent need to replace them, as some of them are leaking, damaging and polluting the soil in the process,” he said.
He said that part of the water treatment plants that are currently in Jeddah, 11 stations, need restructuring operations in terms of the method of work and workers, as well as the areas served by these stations.
“A number of them can be expanded to serve as much areas as possible” he said.
But other stations, he pointed out, need to be addressed and fixed immediately.
Large quantities of the treated water, said Al-Husseini are poured into the sea, “But we should work out a way to use these quantities so as not to waste the costs spent in these processes.”
Sewage networks in Jeddah very poor
