The Village of Naqbayn, 10 kilometers from Hail, is now suffering from severe neglect and a lack of basic services, due to the inability of the government agencies to interact with citizens.
The people of the village lost hope that the water networks would be extended to them, after demands that lasted for 30 years, with no response. Therefore, the people of the village have been living for all those years without water services and depending on the rainwater which forms wells from which they drink.
The village enjoys wide orchards, many palms, and a moderate climate is one of the tourist areas that attract people from other regions around them, but is now complaining of government negligence.
Water Crisis
Residents of Naqbayn village said that wells dry up leaving them with no water amid government lack of finding solutions or providing them with water networks.
Ahmed Al-Hamli, one of the residents of Naqbayn village, commented on the village’s crises, saying: The wells have dried up, the trees have died, even the palms that can withstand thirst have died, and we have become dependent on the tanks provided by the Water Services Authority, which are very few compared to the needs of the people or their financial capacities as the cost of this service ranges from 500 riyals to 100 riyals per month, according to the families' needs.
Salem Al-Shammari, another resident of the village said: The water in our area is scarce, so after the wells dried up, we depended on the state’s tanks, and it took us decades to ask to extend the water networks to us, but to no avail and unfortunately, and the people cooperated to provide a water tank in the village for more than five years, in the hope of completing the water network project, however, it stopped for no reason.
Another resident of the village, Sami Al-Shammari, said: Our village is distinguished by its beautiful natural place, and it is one of the best tourist areas in Hail, and despite that, we all suffer from water scarcity.
He added: We wonder why the municipalities are not solving our problem? Why don't they finish extending the water networks to us even though we are 10 kilometers away from Hail, while there are areas 100 kilometers away to which the networks have been extended?
In light of the poor economic conditions in KSA, the villagers are suffering from water shortages, and they are paying high costs to have access to basic rights of drinking water, considering it a temporary crisis, but the mismanagement of the area, he says, is a long-term problem, in light of the inaction of officials, and the lack of monitoring and accountability.
