JEDDAH: The Saline Water Conversion Corporation (SWCC) signed several contracts aimed at increasing water supply to some governorates in the Makkah region as well as ensuring supply to areas without water at a cost of more than SR9 billion ($2.4 billion).
The projects include the construction of the desalination plant in Jeddah (phase 4) with reverse osmosis (RO) at Shoaiba, the transfer of technology and the purchase of produced water through the establishment of a multi-desalination plant at the Shoaiba power and desalination plant, the Shoaiba Mina water transfer system (B).
The second phase in Taif, manufacture and supply of water transfer pipes from Arafat to Taif, implementation of pumping stations and the extension of pipelines of the water transfer system from Arafat to Taif.
These projects also include the manufacture and supply of the Rabigh-Jeddah-Makkah water transfer system, the implementation of pumping stations, the extension of the pipelines of the Rabigh-Jeddah-Makkah water transport system and the implementation of Taif-Turubah-Ranyah-Al-Khurma pumping stations system.
During the annual visit of Makkah Gov. Prince Khaled Al-Faisal to various parts of the region, citizens had reportedly urged the authorities to ensure adequate water supply to their areas.
They also demanded the establishment of campuses of various universities and called for the provision of electricity and other civic amenities to some villages. The Makkah governor is actively pursuing progress on these projects.