A 200 m³/d forward-osmosis (FO) desalination plant has been commissioned by Modern Water at Al Najdah in the Al Wusta region of Oman.
The UK company was awarded the contract worth OMR 250,000 (US$ 650,000) to build and operate the plant by Oman’s Public Authority for Electricity & Water in June 2011. Modern Water says it is the world’s first commercial FO desalination plant and the group’s second plant in Oman.
The plant started producing product water at full capacity in July and during August testing was undertaken which saw the water quality exceed contractual standards. The plant is now operating commercially at full capacity, and the group has now entered into the 12-month operation and maintenance phase.
The Al Najdah plant is vital to the area as it supplies the local community with a much needed source of clean drinking water. Modern Water has recruited and is training people from the local community as part of the site operations team.
Neil McDougall, executive chairman of Modern Water plc, commented: “The results are in line with the high expectations we set ourselves. Our unique technology greatly reduces both energy and operational costs whilst improving the quality of the water supplied. We offer a sustainable solution that has become increasingly attractive to this multi-billion dollar marketplace”.