After reading in the GDN about sewage tanker drivers illegally dumping their waste reminded me of what life was like in Jeddah when we lived there almost 20 years ago.
Not far from the city there is a huge lake which you can see from the windows of planes taking off from Jeddah airport. The lake is lifeless and silent except for the noise from the tankers that transport the sewage from the city to the lake.
This man-made lake has a thick layer of oils on the surface and stinking vapours rise from the lake. In the hot daytime temperatures, the stillness of the surface of the lake is not the pure calm of still water but the sluggish torpor of a thickened polluting liquid that only resembles water.
The lake back then extended over 600,000 square metres and contained more than 2.5 million cubic metres of waste. Each day around 50,000 cubic metres of waste was pumped into the lake delivered by a fleet of 1,000 trucks. These trucks roamed around the streets of Jeddah sucking up the waste that was then dumped in the lake. Each truck on average would dump three loads of waste into the lake each day.
This environmental time bomb had not suddenly arrived but had accumulated over time as the city grew with inadequate sewerage facilities. Back then only around 10 per cent of the city was covered by a sewerage network serving less than 30pc of the then 2.6 million population.
In north Jeddah at certain times of the year during heavy rains the streets were suddenly awash with underground liquid bubbling up and not only angering residents but also creating an environmental hazard.
Now the good news. Earlier this year the Minister of Environment, Water and Agriculture signed agreements to build two sewage treatment plants. The project, which has a design capacity to treat 500,000 cubic metres per day, will serve Jeddah city and meet the increasing needs of the now 3.5m population.
Before I lived in Jeddah, my first four years in Saudi Arabia was spent in Riyadh.
There the once fertile and scenic Wadi Hanifa suffered as the capital city rapidly expanded and used the river valley as a dumping ground for construction waste. Later, industrial sites were built in the area, turning it into a dump for waste disposal.
In 1986, the Arriyadh Development Authority (ADA) launched a plan to turn Wadi Hanifa into a nature reserve, attracting local and foreign visitors. The redevelopment plans involved creating water channels, trails, and spots for visitors to enjoy the spectacular views the valley has to offer.
Riyadh’s first large sewage treatment facility discharged 400,000 to 650,000 cubic metres of runoff daily into the valley, creating an area of small lakes south of Riyadh. Back then the mayor of Riyadh applauded the water quality and fish and other wildlife were introduced. This area grew, and a 100km green corridor was created.
The decision taken in 1986 proved to be a significant milestone as it helped transform the valley into the largest natural reserve in the kingdom. The wetlands became a stop for migratory birds and a popular area for recreation.
Hopefully Jeddah can once again proudly proclaim that it is truly the Bride of the Red Sea.