Push for ‘lasting fix’ to Wadi Al Buhair mosquito problem

TDT | Manama

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Stagnant water in Wadi Al Buhair, long blamed for swarms of mosquitoes and insect bites, is to be tackled through drainage works, waste removal and pest control after the government backed a parliamentary call for a lasting fix.

In its reply to Parliament, the government said it agreed with the aim of the proposal and said work was already under way to deal with water pooling in the area.

It linked the issue to a wider plan to treat parts of Wadi Al Buhair as protected natural ground, saying efforts were being made both to cut standing water and to curb the spread of insects.

Among the steps listed were drying stagnant pools, clearing waste, spraying insecticides with environmentally friendly materials and stepping up checks on disease-carrying pests.

Pond

The government also said a water storage pond, around 200 metres in diameter, was being built in the first phase of the Wadi Al Buhair scheme to collect rainwater and groundwater, with the pond tied to a main drain leading to Tubli Bay.

It said floating aeration devices were being added to keep gathered water moving, while drains and outlets feeding the storage pond were being maintained, along with rainwater channels meant to carry overflow towards the outfall in Sanad.

Public awareness drives are also being carried out to cut water build-up and household waste and to advise people on mosquito breeding spots, bites and means of prevention.

The government said it was ‘not sparing any effort’ to solve the problem of water pooling in Wadi Al Buhair and to secure ‘a safe and sustainable environment’ for residents while protecting the area’s natural diversity.

Support

The proposal had already won support from Parliament’s Public Utilities and Environment Committee, which in October 2024 urged approval of the request for what it called a radical solution to the gathering of water in the area.

The committee said the problem had led to the spread of mosquitoes and insects, causing distress to residents and leaving them exposed to repeated bites.

The proposal was put forward by MPs Khalid Buanaq, Zainab AbdulAmeer, Mohammed Al Rifai, Mohammed Al Maarefi and Waleed Al Doseri. It called on the government either to fill in the area or turn it into a nature reserve in a way that keeps water moving and stops it from stagnating and drawing insects.