Comments on: Need for Water Conservation in Saudi Arabia

By: Salinder Supri

Salinder Supri — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 18:12:33 +0000

Hello,

Just looking for some information that you may help me with or help point me in the right direction – I don’t know if this is the best forum either but here goes… I heard that there was an exhibition in Saudi either this year or last (International Recycling and Waste Management Exhibition), and there were some Automated Conservation Water Displays were demonstrated. These I think were used to demonstrate water conservation in schools there. Would you have any information on them or better still pictures of these display?

By: American Bedu

American Bedu — Thu, 25 Dec 2008 15:38:23 +0000

I so like your mother Khalid!! Please….would love to have her at the blog! (smile)

By: Khalid

Khalid — Thu, 25 Dec 2008 15:24:24 +0000

AmericanBedu, mum definitely should join this campaign. She always gives us lectures about water and electricity. She always gets annoyed when any of us leaves his/her room and the light is on, or if we are brushing our teeth while the water is not falling falling falling. Here is a little secret Whenever my dad is shaving, mum will be keeping an eye on him to make sure that he closes the water when he doesn’t use it. She always tells us that God will punish us if we don’t use water&electricity moderately and wisely. They are blessings from Allah, and thus we must appreciate it.

By: American Bedu

American Bedu — Wed, 24 Dec 2008 07:14:45 +0000

American in Riyadh – you raise a very good point that in spite of Riyadh being in the middle of the desert we do in fact have good and clean water…which we must preserve!

By: American in Riyadh

American in Riyadh — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 19:51:58 +0000

Excellent post. I installed sprinklers to limit water use and workload on my gardener…he set the hose in one corner and left it running! Of course, that meant all the sand stayed on the leaves, plants were neglected and water wasted. But it meant he could get paid for watering my garden while getting paid to do something else!

A very smart message regarding methods we can use to conserve. What outsiders do not realize is how sandy and dusty it really is here and how much washing and dusting are unfortunately necessary. I learned that because of blowing dust the unhealthy bacteria and pollens (grasses and weeds) are often worse than the green places in the world!

Washing with a bucket is a must. I do all of that now, but had a maid who sprayed everything, overusing water and bringing ants.

Another thing I do is hand wash items in a sinkful instead of a whole laundry load full.

A neighbor had water pouring into the streets after their helper washed the car down.

It isn’t just us – we must provide ways, means and guidance to our workers as well who use up too much water wanting to “do a good job”.

Also, if anyone wants to know how precious water is in KSA, go to Egypt and see the disaster there. I am grateful for the clean water in the Kingdom!

By: American Bedu

American Bedu — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 15:39:18 +0000

Thanks for all the comments. Yes; I recall when in the States the emphasis that was also placed on water conservation.

Monica – no….your comment is the first I’m aware of a watermain break in the WDC area.

I just hope that by speaking out on such a topic and knowing there is Saudi readership it helps get more people thinking how important water conservation in a desert state really is.

By: Monica

Monica — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 15:11:48 +0000

kinda ironic you wrote this today… did you happen to hear about the major watermain break on River Road in Montgomery County this morning? CNN is/was covering it live. Talk about a waste of water… they had both MoCo and Fairfax rescue out there (and fortunately, everyone is ok… just some hypothermia).

By: susieofarabia

susieofarabia — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 14:44:19 +0000

You put a lot of thought and effort into this post, and it is such an important subject here in the desert kingdom. When I lived in Arizona and Florida, there were public conservation awareness programs similar to what you have suggested. Both programs placed limits on water usage, at certain hours of the day, watering the lawn or washing the car was to be done only on certain days of the week depending where you lived, etc.
Happy Holidays, Bedu! I wish you and your family good times, good health and all the best in the coming year.
Thinking of you…

By: coolred38

coolred38 — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 14:35:14 +0000

“We even had a little jingle that encouraged people to shower with their fella! …”

I dare say…generally speaking…two (or more) people in a shower together cannot facilitate water conservation for two reasons…

1. Someone is always in the water…and someone is left shivering on the perimeter of the water…showering takes twice as long as partners take turns shifting positions..

2. When two (or more) people are in a shower together…Im thinking water conservation is the last thing on their mind(s).

Just a thought.

By: Chiara

Chiara — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 14:11:31 +0000

Thanks American Bedu.

It seems, in my experience, that flooding the bathroom is a country-dependant practice. Moroccan, Algerians, Tunisians, Iranians, no. Libyans, Kuwaitis, and Saudis, yes. Of course my experience is relatively limited, (would never stand up to the rigours of statistical public health research) and I only offer it as a sign of hope for the spread of the dry bathroom floor.