RIYADH: Zain Saudi Arabia has sent millions of text messages (SMS) to people underscoring the importance of water conservation in the Kingdom, said Abdullah Bin Hussein Al-Damer, Corporate Communications Manager, Zain Saudi Arabia. Al-Damer said his company joined hands with the Ministry of Water and Electricity to celebrate World Water Day and arranged lectures on Tuesday at its headquarters in Riyadh for its employees besides sending millions of SMS to create awareness among its customers in Saudi Arabia as part of its corporate social responsibility (CSR). “Zain Saudi Arabia is keen to highlight the rational use of water and to do this there is a need for creating public awareness. The company has sent messages to people to educate them about the significance of water conservation in the Kingdom,” he said. He said to mark World Water Day a number of officials and representatives from the Ministry of Water and Electricity delivered lectures at the Zain Saudi Arabia office in Riyadh. Al-Damer said his company recognizes water as a precious resource in the Kingdom. The statistics about water consumption in the Kingdom and the government's efforts for the conservation of water reflect the importance of this resource, he added. He said people in Saudi Arabia could adapt to practices by simply changing their behavior toward water conservation. “People should realize that water is a precious resource and any wrong practices will adversely effect its distribution. We have to work together ,” he said. He said some water conservation devices which contribute toward saving water were also given out to Zain Saudi Arabia employees on World Water Day. He said his company staff discussed the issue with the experts after they finished the lectures, and were keen to learn more about water conservation techniques. He said Zain Saudi Arabia would do more to educate people about the importance of water conservation by participating in various social events. Al-Damer said the Ministry of Water and Electricity has worked hard to deliver its services to all regions in the Kingdom. Similarly, the ministry is keen to educate Saudi society and other communities living in the country about the best way to conserve water. “The Ministry of Water and Electricity has been distributing millions of tools and water saving devices to help in the conservation of water,” he said. According to published media reports Saudi Arabia is the world's third largest consumer of water, with daily per capita consumption amounting to 248.7 liters. The scarcity of water resources can be attributed to a number of reasons that include very low rainfall, estimated at 70-100 mm per year; the growing demand for water; and the fact that the water tariff is subsidized by the government. The United Nations, in its World Water Assessment Program, suggested that each person needs 20 to 50 liters of safe fresh water a day to ensure their basic needs for drinking, cooking and cleaning. The Water Risk Index, developed by the British risk consultants Maplecroft, found that out of 18 countries around the world at “extreme risk” to their water security, 15 are in the Middle East.
