Saudi Gazette report

JEDDAH — Local authorities in Makkah have opened an investigation after spotting number of farms being watered by sewage water.

Makkah Municipality removed 8 flats built on agricultural areas in a number of farms south of Makkah.

The Municipality said on Sunday that security authorities and health affairs in the region and the office of the Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture took action on a number of violating farms that were irrigated with sewage water to grow leafy greens south of Makkah.

It added that 8 flats built on vast areas in a number of farms were removed. The Municipality teams also immediately destroyed leafy plants grown using sewage water.

“It posed a threat to public health, and it was found to be unsafe after sampling their products and examining them in the laboratories of the municipality,” it said.

It emphasized that this comes within the framework of the Makkah Municipality's keenness to achieve the highest level of environmental sanitation, and to follow up and remove all negative phenomena related to the health and safety of citizens and residents.

The municipality pledged that it won’t hesitate to implement penalties and fines for violators.