NWC chief assures undisrupted water supply in Ramadan

Saleh Fareed JEDDAH — The National Water Company (NWC) will ensure no disruption in water supply during Ramadan and Eid and other public holiday. Dr. Abdulrahman Al-Ibrahim, CEO of the water company and the governor of the Saline Water Conversion Corporation, has instructed the company staff to ensure that "the services will not stop for any reason during Ramadan, the two Eids, Saudi National Day and school examinations." His said the company aims to stay true to its slogan of “Our Partners First”, developed in line with the Saudi leadership’s vision to provide citizens and residents with the most efficient services. Al-Ibrahim said NWC is keen on providing everybody with high quality water and environment services and its main objective is to serve citizens and residents. He said, “Ensuring water services continue over public holidays represents a quantum leap in the services provided to our partners (customers). The quality of services shall be increased to a better level to attain our ultimate objective of achieving customer satisfaction and preserving their rights as subscribers.” Meanwhile, NWC has completed operational plans aimed at cutting the waiting period for Taif suburbs to receive water from 24 days to a maximum of seven days in summer when demand is high. The company said it is constantly working with the Saline Water Conversion Corporation to increase supplies, especially during peak periods. NWC is already pumping 250,000 cubic meters of water daily to Taif. Emergency plans have been applied to meet customer demand and water has been delivered to their houses within short turnarounds and according to a prepared schedule. NWC said it works to ensure supplies in each city suburb are at least 95 percent of normal capacity. Mohammed Al-Robeii, acting Water and Environment Services sector manager in Taif, said there are several projects that are being executed to serve customers in summer, including the Massarah and Mathakir water networks that will be operated on a partial basis, and the expansion of the Wadi Al-Araj wastewater treatment plant and wastewater network in the Muntazah, Mohammed Bin Saleh and Khalaf Bin Malfas suburbs. He said a leakage detection project is still ongoing and other projects from the approved plan have been completed, which will improve services for customers. He added that NWC is operating and tracking the filling stations in Al-Mathnah, Al-Jawharah, Al-Sharafiyah, Al-Howayah, Al-Orafa and Al-Sail Al-Sagheer, around the clock. In addition, the filling stations north of Taif are working 24 hours a day to serve customers in Al-Howayah and north east of Al-Howayah by providing all required water trucks within 10 minutes. Al-Robeii said staff at customer service centers are working continuously to serve customers and resolve any complaints. According to the summer operational plan, NWC has focused on preparing fully equipped operations and maintenance teams — 10 water maintenance teams and 16 operation teams with more than 277 employees — working in shifts around the clock, in addition to nine reserve teams staffed by more than 70 people. Al-Robeii urged all customers to submit complaints related to damage and disruption of water supply to the unified call center (800 44 11110) or visit the customer services center in Wadi Waj.