Agreement
Signed to Establish RO 55 Million Water Purification Plant in Wadi Dayqah Dam
Muscat, 23 Mar
(ONA) — Nama Water Services today signed an agreement in partnership with the
private sector to construct a water purification plant at Wadi Dayqah Dam in
the Wilayat of Qurayyat. The project, coordinated with relevant government
bodies, is valued at over RO 55 million.
The
agreement was mutually signed by Qais Saud Al Zakwani, CEO of Nama Water
Services, and Sultan Abdullah Al Jafari, Chairman of Al Tayer Engineering
Services Company – the project’s implementing company. The signing ceremony was
attended by Dr. Saud Hamoud Al Habsi, Minister of Agriculture,
Fisheries and Water Resources.
This project
aligns with the government’s strategic focus on bolstering water security and
ensuring a consistent supply of potable water for subscribers. This initiative
is designed to guarantee reliable water provision, particularly during periods
of unexpected weather conditions and unforeseen emergencies. Moreover, the plant’s
development is intrinsically connected to supporting agricultural endeavors. By
channeling produced water to farms within the Wilayat of Qurayyat, in
collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, and Water Resources,
the project aims to enhance food security. This will be achieved through the
expansion of water-reliant agricultural activities, ultimately supplying local
markets.
The new
water purification plant will be developed under a 20-year public-private
partnership (PPP) contract, utilizing a Build, Own, Operate (BOO) model.
Construction of the plant and associated infrastructure is slated for
completion within 22 months. The facility will boast a total production
capacity of 65,000 cubic meters per day, with 35,000 cubic meters per day
channeled into Nama Water Services’ main distribution network, supplying
potable water. The remaining 30,000 cubic meters per day will be dedicated to
agricultural irrigation, distributed through a network serving farms in the
Wilayat of Qurayyat, in coordination with the Ministry of Agriculture,
Fisheries and Water Resources.
To reinforce
water security and enhance the reliability of the main transmission network,
the treatment plant will be linked to an exchange line with other facilities. This
interconnection will facilitate resource sharing during emergencies and crises,
ensuring the sustainability of water service and preventing disruptions.
Speaking on
the agreement, Qais Saud Al Zakwani, CEO of Nama Water Services, said: “Nama
Water Services is committed to achieving water security goals, addressing the
escalating demand for this critical resource driven by subscriber growth and
urban development. To meet these demands, the company is actively pursuing a
portfolio of projects. This includes the construction of the water purification
plant at Wadi Dayqah Dam in the Wilayat of Qurayyat.
“The Wadi
Dayqah Dam water purification plant project reflects Nama Water Services’
strategic push to leverage diverse water resources. This initiative aims to
optimize the dam’s water output to address the regions’ demand effectively. The
project adheres to a meticulously planned approach, balancing current
necessities with projected future requirements, ultimately contributing to the
water security goals outlined in Oman Vision 2040.” He added.
Al Zakwani highlighted
the project’s significant contribution to local added value, the creation of
over 100 indirect jobs throughout the construction and operational phases, and
a community contribution within the Wilayat of Qurayyat. He further underscored
the project’s commitment to nationalization, mandating a minimum of 50%
Omanization for all direct jobs during the operational period.
He added
that the Wadi Dayqah Dam Water Purification Plant stands out as an exceptional
undertaking, harnessing surface water and purifying it to the highest
international technical standards. Compliant with Omani drinking water
regulations, the project represents a significant addition to the Sultanate of
Oman’s water infrastructure. It is anticipated to bolster water security by
providing a pure and sustainable source of drinking water.
Eng.
Abdullah Mohammed Al Nuaimi, Chief Executive Officer of Operations and
Maintenance at Nama Water Services, stated that the Wadi Dayqah Dam treatment
plant represents a strategic move to diversify the sources of water production.
This diversification aims to ensure consistent supply to the Muscat
Governorate, mitigating potential disruptions caused by desalination plant
outages. Additionally, it will compensate for supply shortages arising from marine
phenomena like cyclones and algal blooms. The Wadi Dayqah Dam treatment plant
will also serve as a viable alternative for supplying the Wilayats of Qurayyat
and Al Amerat, as well as the main water distribution network.
The Chief
Executive Officer of Operations and Maintenance explained that the purification
plant at Wadi Dayqah Dam will treat the dam’s water through purification using
state-of-the-art technologies and systems in this field. He noted that the salt
content in the dam’s water is significantly lower than that of seawater, which
will contribute to reducing the energy used and thus lowering operational costs
compared to seawater desalination.
Eng. Al
Nuaimi said that the Wadi Dayqah Dam Water Treatment Plant project, among the
first of its kind in the region, which encompasses the construction of the
treatment plant itself alongside a seven-kilometer water transmission line
connecting the dam to the facility and a corresponding pumping station. A
20,000-cubic-meter collection tank is also being built to receive water from
the completed pumping station, which is integrated into the main water
transmission line. This line extends from the Wilayat of Qurayyat to other
Wilayats within the Muscat Governorate and the broader water transmission
network.
The project
is designed to optimize dam water usage for agriculture, bolstering food
security and seasonal cultivation. It will also diversify water production
sources to address emergency demands, enhance the reliability of the main water
transmission network, and provide an alternative water supply for the Wilayat
of Qurayyat. Furthermore, the initiative seeks to reduce desalination water
production costs by leveraging dam water. This aligns with Oman Vision 2040’s
goals of increasing drinking water network reliability and expanding
agricultural land. Finally, the project contributes to reducing carbon
emissions, supporting Nama Water Services’ strategy to achieve net-zero by 2050
through decreased energy consumption via replacing desalination output with
purified dam water.
—Ends/AG
