Page 562 - Records of Bahrain (6)_Neat

550 Records of Bahrain

Shaikh Khalifoh reoently talkod to Die at oona lderable
&w«'- length about the Bahrain water quootion. i do not know

whether ho had boon inBtructod to do bo by Shaikh Salman.

He first of all stated that an unlimited number of

wells were being drilled at Qatif and thio wbb being
oncouraged by the Saudi Arabian Government. Mr.AriddESon
previously gave mo Bimilar information. Mr.Steineke'b
report Bhowe that the drilling of wells at Qatif may affeot

the water-level at Bahrain but 1 do not think we have suffi­
cient data to go on for making any kind of representa­
tion to HiB Majesty's Minister, Jedda.

Shaikh Khalifah also alleged that the large amount

of water used by Bapoo was affeoting the water-level* and
suggested that they should use son.-water for their
machinery. 1 pointed out that the amount of water used
by them daily at Zellaq emounted to about i/17 th of
what was allowed to run to waete from the neighbouring
gardens. He then Bald that there were a large number
of wells inside the refinery at Sitra, and that ae a

result of the large amount of water used here the water-
level in Ultra had fallen and some gardens dn the refin­
ery side had dried up, the poor owners receiving no
compensation. I was unable to argue about this as I did

not know the facts. He also mentioned that a well had
been openod at Sitra with such a large flow of water
that the level of the main Ultra spring fell substantially
and there was noarly a riot amongst tho looal inhabitants.

This well had subsequently been olosed.

With regard to the suggested use of sea-water
1 said that I believed that it was much better for the
/ maohinery