Friday 19 / April / 2024
Muscat: Haya Water, the Sultanate’s state-owned company that operates wastewater network and sewage treatment plants, plans to invest OMR1 billion over the next four years until 2022.
The investment is mainly for developing sewage network and for building sewage treatment plants in different parts of the country, said the company’s chief executive officer Eng. Hussain Hassan Ali AbdulHussain.
The company is also looking at public-private-partnership for developing future wastewater projects in the country.
“We have a strategy for public-private-partnership (PPP), which was presented to the board of directors of Haya Water and the Ministry of Finance for approval. Some of the projects can attract foreign investment,” added Eng. AbdulHussain, while addressing the company’s annual media conference here organised under the patronage of Dr. Khalid bin Salem Al Saidi, Secretary General of the Council of State.
The Haya Water chief also said that several projects, including some of the sewage treatment plants, have been identified to develop with private investment.
“We will start with Misfah. We are waiting for offers (from private sector) in the coming days,” he added.
The number of projects under implementation in Muscat Governorate alone is 18 projects with total cost of OMR500 million. Many of these projects are in Willaiyat Bausher with 3 main projects and total value of OMR64 million. One of these projects is the expansion of Al Ansab STP (second phase), which aims to increase the capacity of the current STP to 125,000 cubic metres per day by the end of 2017. In addition, there is also the north and south of Al Khuwair area project (B3b) which aims to build a wastewater network of 34km long, treated wastewater network of 11 km long and 40 km of fiber optic network. This project serves about 2,650 housing units and governmental and commercial establishments. The project will be completed in the first quarter of 2018.
In Muscat governorate, Haya Water has connected 102,000 buildings to the network so far, constituting 37 per cent of properties. A major project (B7) to connect Al Ansab, Ghala and Bausher will be finalised next year, while in Al Khuwair 1,800 housing units and commercial buildings will be connected to the next work. “Design work for Al Khuwair project is going on.”
The design of another STP in Al Bustan area is finalised, while the capacity of an STP plant in Liwa will be raised to 14,000 cubic meters from 4,000 cubic meters now.
Haya Water has an asset base of OMR878 million in Muscat governorate.
As far as use of treated water is concerned, only 50 per cent of the water is used in the Sultanate now and it will be increased to 65 per cent in 2020. Haya Water has already started discussions with the Ministry of Agriculture to make better use of treated water for agricultural cultivation. This will help agricultural sector and thereby food security in the country.
The treated water of Haya Water doubled in the last five years, which helped the nation to save on the cost of producing desalinating water.
Also, Haya Water has allocated almost half a million rial for providing training to local employees. The Omanisation of Haya Water is around 62 per cent, which is against the mandatory requirement of 35 per cent.
The importance of Human Resources is highlighted as the main engine of any organisation. In line with this, the Company pays special attention to the Omanisation plans and programmes in accordance with the expansion of its business and projects, as well as to attract the best cadres and expertise, which will contribute to the advancement of the country.
Haya Water provides many services such as connecting houses and establishments in Muscat Governorate and other governorates to the wastewater service, the sale of treated wastewater, sale of organic fertilizer “Kala” and laboratory services.
The amount of water flowing to Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs) in 2017 is estimated at more than 56 million cubic metres, with an increase of up to 86 per cent compared to 2012. It is also expected that the number of beneficiaries of the wastewater service will reach 771,000 residents by the end of 2017, more than half of the population of Muscat Governorate.
Thus, Haya Water provides wastewater services through yellow tankers and wastewater networks to more than 75,000 people in Muscat Governorate and around 250,000 in other governorates.
The Darsait sea outfall project was completed in November 2017 with a total length of 3.47km and the pipe’s diameter is 1.6 metres buried 43.6 meters deep below sea level.
The number of STPs in Muscat Governorate is 10 with a capacity of 189,874 cubic meters per day. These STPs are connected to wastewater networks with a length of 1,904km, while there is about 1,876km under implementation. The length of existing treated wastewater networks is about 319km, while there is about 44.46km that is still under construction.
Haya Water uses efficient pumps to ensure smooth flow of the wastewater to the STPs in the places where the Company faces difficulties in terms of gravity. The number of these pumping stations is 39 scattered all over the Willaiyats of Muscat. There are also 92,000 inspection rooms all over Muscat Governorate.
In order to enhance the In-Country Value of Haya Water products as one of the economic principles adopted by the Company in its operations, Haya launched the organic fertilizer plant known as ‘Kala’ in 2010 as one of the important production pillars supported by the sound awareness of its board of directors and executive management to protect the environment and preserve its natural resources towards a sustainable development.
The company is testing wastewater treatment using wetlands technology. This technique removes biological, chemical and physical contaminants from wastewater using reed roots to produce treated water.
It is also testing solar energy for the operation of STP. This study aims to design, install and maintain a solar power station at the Qurayat STP to be the first solar power experiment to generate the electricity needed to operate the STP.
