KUWAIT: A lake formed by accumulated rainwater is seen in Sabah Al-Ahmad City during a tour state officials yesterday.—Photos by Fouad Al-Shaikh

KUWAIT: The Ministry of Public Works had received several complaints from residents of Sabah Al-Ahmad City concerning accumulated rainwater mixed with water seeping from sewage water processing plants, which resulted in foul ponds and insects, Minister of Public Works and Minister of State for Municipal Affairs Hossam Al-Roumi said yesterday

Speaking during a tour he made in the area along with Minister of Utilities and Minister of State for Housing Affairs Jenan Boushehri, Roumi said officials immediately responded to the complaint and met to discuss and solve the problem. He added that the problem resulted from not linking the area's sewers to a plant because the one in Um Al-Haiman is still under construction.

A number of officials in relevant authorities such as the Public Authority for Agricultural Affairs and Fish Resources (PAAAFR), Environment Public Authority (EPA) and the Public Authority for Roads and Transportation accompanied the two ministers in the tour.

Roumi stressed that temporary solutions will be resorted to until fundamental ones are reached. He added that the area's sewers would be connected to PAAAFR reservoirs so that the water could be used in irrigating the trees surrounding the area.

Meanwhile, Boushehri said concerned authorities had met on Thursday and that both short and long-term solutions were discussed. Boushehri denied that the accumulated water was sewage water and stressed that it was treated water that would be sucked from the houses by a special pipeline. Boushehri added that it was up to the residents to decide filing lawsuits, but stressed that all governmental bodies are acting to take immediate measures to resolve the problem.

By Meshaal Al-Enezi and A Saleh