NWC Chairman conducts field inspection of Hajj services, says ‘we are ready to serve pilgrims’

HE Eng. Abdullah bin Abdulrahman Al Hussein, Minister of Water and Electricity and Chairman of the Board of Directors of NWC, inspected the King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Zamzam Water Project and water and wastewater facilities in the Mashaer (the holy sites of Mina, Arafat and Muzdalifah) operated by the Company. He was escorted by NWC CEO Dr. Loay Bin Ahmad Al Musallam and company executives.

During his visit on Sept. 20, 2015, the Chairman surveyed the latest preparations of the King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Zamzam Water Project for serving pilgrims and the services rendered from last Ramadan until the end of the current Islamic month of Dhul Hijjah. More than 3 million packs of water shall be distributed this season, while the strategic storage reserves of this project are about 1.8 million 10-liter packs.

NWC took into consideration the increasing demand for the holy water and increased seasonal employees in sales and distribution points by 100 percent from last year.

The tour included a visit to company facilities for managing water distribution, strategic and operational storage tanks and electronic water labs that have been introduced this year for performing chemical and biological tests to ensure water is free of contamination. In addition, Al Hussein viewed the new smart water management system in Mashaer. This system electronically controls the management of water and treated water networks and links these systems with performance indicator systems. The system provides instant, accurate and automatic information on pumping levels and smart readings for all water and treated water facilities in Mashaer operated by NWC. The chairman toured the main control room (SCADA) in Mina that monitors network and water tank pipelines, toilets, potable water outlets and all maintenance and operation works remotely.

After the tour, Al Hussein assured that NWC has completed all preparations to execute the operational plan for the water and wastewater sectors in Makkah and Mashaer. He said the plan focused on providing pilgrims with sufficient amounts of water during their stay.

He stated that NWC is coordinating with the Saline Water Conversion Corporation, the Company’s supporter and strategic partner, to provide the best water services for pilgrims in Makkah and Mashaer. SWCC has supported NWC’s plans to secure suitable strategic stores of water in Mashaer this season.

The minister said the amount of water that will be distributed in Makkah and Mashaer this season would reach more than 10 million cubic meters, provided from SWCC stations. He explained that NWC’s operational plan depended mainly on SWCC to provide daily water supplies of more than 180,000 cubic meters from Shu'eabah stations 1-2, another 460,000 cubic meters from Shu'eabah station 3 and 10,000 cubic meters from the Wadi Malkan water project. In addition, SWCC’s four filling stations shall work at full capacity to supply tanks this season.

Al Hussein announced that NWC and SWCC have prepared and executed an integrated plan for strategic water stores of more than 2 million cubic meters, and ensuring emergency storage tankers are ready to distribute water to different areas of Mashaer during emergencies. 

He noted that NWC has implemented a comprehensive information technology system comprising its communication and customer services center (COMPASS) for managing Hajj operations. In addition, 510 pressure-measuring devices were installed for monitoring water pressure in the network and at more than 3,300 toilet complexes. These systems shall contribute to the successful application of the water operations plan during the Hajj season, he said. He pointed out that the water networks in Mashaer is more than 763 km long in total.

Al Hussein explained NWC has executed several major projects to enhance its performance in serving pilgrims. NWC has signed specialized contracts for maintenance, upgrading toilet-monitoring equipment, increasing the number of guidance signs and replacing damaged ones. In addition, specialized operation and maintenance contracts were signed. The use of key performance indicators was combined with incentives to improve the level of services, he said. He also pointed out that NWC has doubled the number of technicians for monitoring water quality, utilized the regional water lab in Jeddah to carry out advanced analyses, and installed sterilization devices in tanks.

At the end of his statement, Al Hussein said it was a God-given privilege that his country and people had the honor of serving pilgrims and visitors to the Prophet's Mosque. He also extended thanks to the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz; HRH Prince Muhammad bin Naif, Crown Prince, Deputy Premier, Minister of Interior and President of the High Hajj Committee; HRH Prince Khaled Al Faisal, Makkah Emir and President of the Central Hajj Committee; and HRH Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Deputy Crown Prince, Second Deputy Premier and Minister of Defense, for their support in serving the pilgrims and providing them with all facilities from arrival to departure.