Muscat: Nama Water Services has entered into a partnership with the private sector to construct a water purification plant at the Wadi Dayqah Dam in the Wilayat of Qurayyat. The agreement, valued at over RO 55 million, was signed today and involves coordination with relevant government bodies.
According to Oman News Agency, the agreement was signed by Qais Saud Al Zakwani, CEO of Nama Water Services, and Sultan Abdullah Al Jafari, Chairman of Al Tayer Engineering Services Company, which will implement the project. The signing ceremony saw attendance from Dr. Saud Hamoud Al Habsi, Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Water Resources.
The project supports government goals to strengthen water security and ensure a stable supply of potable water. It is designed to guarantee water availability during unexpected weather conditions and emergencies. The initiative also aims to bolster agricultural efforts by channeling water to farms in the Wilayat of Qurayyat, enhancing food security through expanded water-reliant agricultural activities.
The purification plant will be developed under a 20-year public-private partnership (PPP) contract, using a Build, Own, Operate (BOO) model. It is expected to be completed within 22 months and will have a total production capacity of 65,000 cubic meters per day. Of this, 35,000 cubic meters per day will supply potable water through Nama Water Services’ network, while the remaining 30,000 cubic meters will be used for agricultural irrigation.
The treatment plant will connect to an exchange line with other facilities, enhancing water security and network reliability by facilitating resource sharing during emergencies. This integration aims to maintain service continuity and prevent disruptions.
Qais Saud Al Zakwani highlighted the strategic importance of the project for Nama Water Services, emphasizing its role in addressing the escalating water demand driven by subscriber growth and urban development. The initiative is part of a broader portfolio of projects aimed at achieving the water security goals outlined in Oman Vision 2040.
Al Zakwani also noted the project’s contribution to local value, with over 100 indirect jobs expected during construction and operations. The project mandates a minimum of 50% Omanization for all direct jobs during its operational phase and aims to meet international standards for water purification.
Eng. Abdullah Mohammed Al Nuaimi, CEO of Operations and Maintenance at Nama Water Services, stated that the treatment plant will diversify water production sources, ensuring a consistent supply to the Muscat Governorate and mitigating potential disruptions from marine phenomena or desalination plant outages.
Al Nuaimi explained that the purification plant will utilize advanced technologies for water treatment and will feature a seven-kilometer water transmission line and a 20,000-cubic-meter collection tank. The project aims to optimize dam water usage, bolster food security, diversify water production sources, and reduce desalination costs, aligning with Oman Vision 2040’s objectives.
The initiative also contributes to reducing carbon emissions, supporting Nama Water Services’ strategy to achieve net-zero by 2050 through decreased energy consumption by replacing desalination with purified dam water.