Construction of Sharqiyah Desalination Company’s expansion project for water desalination in Sur, Oman, is 70% complete. The extension project is expected to be completed by mid-2016, said project manager, Veolia.
Under an amended water purchase agreement with state-owned Oman Power and Water Procurement Company, the Veolia-led company is adding 51,000 m³/d to the Sur plant’s existing 80,000 m³/d capacity.
The additional water capacity will help meet the projected rise in demand for potable water in the Sharqiyah region due to a rapidly growing population, exacerbated by limited resources.
“The Sur plant has put much effort into reducing the environmental impact of the desalination process through energy recovery devices. This project once again demonstrates Veolia’s strong commitment towards Oman,” said chief executive officer of Veolia Middle East, Xavier Joseph. Veolia, said the project has achieved one million man-hours worked without injury with international skills being brought into the project, including 600 people of 15 nationalities.
The Sur desalination plant – 160km south west of Muscat - was built in 2007 by a consortium comprising Veolia subsidiary, OTV, and Bahwan Engineering Company. It is currently operated by Bahwan Veolia - a joint venture between Bahwan and Veolia.