Mohammad Dawood
JEDDAH — The Zamzam Well pumps 11 to 19 liters of water a second and is located 20 meters away from the Kaaba.
Saudi Geological Survey President Zuhair Nawab said the story of Zamzam Well is historical and the well turned the dry and deserted city of Makkah into a populated land.
“The story of Zamzam water starts with Prophet Ibrahim, his wife Hajer and their son Ismael. The well is thousands of years old and it still pumps enough water to quench the thirst of an entire city. The well turned Makkah into the most visited city in the Kingdom,” said Nawab.
He added many people from south of the Arabian Peninsula would come all the way to Makkah to fill their barrels with Zamzam water and then they take it home to their friends and families.
“Certain families in Makkah took over the responsibility of pouring Zamzam water for all those who visit the well. The responsibility became a family tradition. In 2010, the Kingdom announced a big project to purify Zamzam water. The project had a budget of SR700 million,” said Nawab.
He added the factory to purify the water was built near the Grand Mosque to serve pilgrims.
“King Abdullah Zamzam Water Factory produces 200,000 water bottles a day and it is around 10 liters of Zamzam water a day. The factory produces more during Ramadan and Haj seasons. The survey aims to produce enough studies to enable the Kingdom from providing Zamzam water to Makkah and Madinah all year round,” said Nawab.
He also said the survey set up a research center specifically for Zamzam water and its purpose is to always ensure that Zamzam water is served at its best quality.
“The center will look into the source of Zamzam water, the type of soil around it and the type of water that comes out. The demand on Zamzam water is growing throughout the Kingdom and not just Makkah. The number of pilgrims is increasing and the center is expected to be able to conduct a study to find a way to meet all of these demands in the most effective way possible,” said Nawab.
