Hajj pilgrims consume eight mln liters of Zamzam water

The amount of Zamzam water that pilgrims have consumed since the beginning of the 2018 Hajj season and until the end of Dhu al-Qidah has reached 8,505,623 liters of which 2,284,700 liters were delivered to residence headquarters in Mecca via a group of field services, according to an official statistic. 220,923 liters of those were distributed in guidance centers at Mecca’s entrances.

Drinking Zamzam water is something that pilgrims are keen on doing while performing their Hajj rituals.

The United Office of Zamazemah implemented the program of an annual reception of pilgrims, where they receive arriving pilgrims with flowers, Zamzam water, dates and Arabic coffee. Light lunch meals were also provided this year.

The Zamzam well is 21 meters away from Kaaba and the well’s hole is beneath the Mataf (the circumambulation area around the Holy Kaaba) near the Black Stone.

The water flows from two sides: The side of the Kaaba and the side of Abu Kubais Mountain and Al-Safa. Between 11 and 18 liters are pumped every second and the water settles at a depth of 31 meters.

There are two pumps that operate shifts over 24 hours. Water is transferred to the King Abdullah Zamzam Water Distribution Center in Kudy so people can drink.

Zamzam water is transferred to the Prophet’s Mosque via special tanks that have certain standards and locks that can only be opened via the employee in charge. Around 150,000 liters are pumped in ordinary days and in seasons the amount increases to 450,000 liters.

Zamzam water is offered in the two holy mosques via 40,000 cooled and sterilized containers.

Water can be offered cooled or warm. The containers have plastic cups – two millions cups are used per day and are used only once to maintain public health.

There are also drinking fountains in all floors and spaces in the Great Mosque of Mecca and in the Prophet’s Mosque.

The Sabeel Zamzam Station in the eastern side of the Great Mosque of Mecca is in charge of refills and thus facilitates the refill process for visitors and pilgrims.

There are also roaming containers to serve crowded areas like Sahn Al Mataf. The General Presidency for the affairs of the Grand Mosque and the Prophet's Mosque also distributes small bottles of water in the Great Mosque of Mecca at the Mataf, at the first row and in the funerals’ musala.

According to Islamic mythology, Zamzam is a miraculously generated source of water from God, which sprang thousands of years ago when Ibrahim's infant son Ismail was left with his mother Hajar in the desert. After desperately looking for water to quench their thirst, God miraculously made water spring out of the ground, and it remains until today.