The President of the Saudi Geological Survey Commission has said that authorities were warned six years ago of the danger posed by the Misk sewage lake but that the commission's advice was ignored. “Expert geologists conducted a study in 2003 which resulted in three essential recommendations,” said commission president Zuheir Nawab. “The Mayors' Office in Jeddah was told to build a back-up dam, set up a three-station sewage treatment plant, and put an immediate halt to any further sewage disposal at the site. The first two recommendations were complied with, the third went unheeded.” In an exclusive interview to Okaz Saturday, Nawab said that the situation would be improved upon completion of sewer works and that stopping the disposal of sewage at the site would bring a drop in the water level. Leakage from the site, which has gone on for over a year, can be treated, Nawab said. “Some leaks are from beneath the dam because of cracks in the ground geology, but they can be resolved as they are not large or threatening, and there are others due to the sewer channels at the bottom of the dam,” Nawab said. “Those cracks occurred because when the concrete dam was built attention was not paid to the geological substructure of the site, it should have been built in a place that could cope with the huge volume of water collecting next to it,” he said. Urgent dam solution Experts from the Geological Survey have responded to the recent flooding in east Jeddah by identifying sites for the construction of dams as an “urgent solution”, according to Nawab, to threats of future flooding. “We have been working with the Mayor's Office, Governorate officials and various government bodies to undertake a comprehensive study of all aspects of the situation,” Nawab said. “Our work has not yet finished, but when only our observations will be discussed in detail by everyone concerned.” “But I think at the moment the swiftest measure would be to urgently set up dams in the valley flood courses that pose a significant threat, rather than removing property from people who live in those areas who would need a lot of time and money to make other arrangements,” he said.”There are several sites that could serve well for dams given that the approximation of the sides of the valleys,” he said. Nawab said that it was the first study of its kind on the east Jeddah area. “The zone is well-known to locals, and it has 12 valleys, only three that could be said to be large in size, with the others medium-sized and small,” he said. “Water storage tanks were constructed there but with the vast development of Jeddah and huge influx of people which has led to a population increase from 100,000 to three million people over just a few decades, some have taking to residing in the valley courses despite attempts by authorities who have been powerless to stop them.” Nawab said that the “huge increase in population” has also been accompanied by a water consumption rate that is “one of the highest in the world.”
