14 May 2008
MUSCAT -- Abdullah bin Abbas bin Ahmed, Chairman of the board of directors of Oman Wastewater Services Company (OWSC), signed two contracts worth over RO 145 million, covering the development of two key components of the Seeb Wastewater project. The agreements were signed with Arab Contractors, which will implement the Al Maabela Gravity Drainage Network, and Galfar Engineering & Contracting, which will develop the Seeb Coastal Strip Vacuum Sewers Networks.
According to Omar bin Khalfan al Wahaibi, Chief Executive Officer of Oman Wastewater Services Company, the Seeb Coastal Strip Vacuum Sewers Networks project, valued at RO 86.904 million, involves the construction of 270 kilometres of vacuum sewer networks in the coastal strip areas north of Sultan Qaboos Street. Ten vacuum stations will be constructed in designated places to suck the wastewater through a network of vacuum sewers. The wastewater collected at the vacuum stations is then transferred to the main sewage treatment plant through pumping. OWSC is employing vacuum sewer technology after taking into account the topography and soil conditions of the area.
It also follows the discovery that the level of underground water is high and the area is flat, making the vacuum sewer system the most feasible technology. Furthermore, use of vacuum sewer technology will also avert the need for deep digging, thereby preventing the lowering of the underground water level during the construction. The project will cover Manuma, Maabela North, Gashbeh, Sharadi, A'Seeb old town, Wadi al Luwami, Hail North and Mawaleh North. The Al Maabela Gravity Drainage Network contract, worth RO 58.531 million, involves the construction of 170 kilometres of sewers that will be constructed in Al Maabela to the new wastewater network.
With gravity sewers being the preferred method of providing a wastewater network to customers in Maabela, such a system is based on a network of pipes that are sufficiently inclined to allow wastewater to flow through the system in the required direction by entirely natural 'gravitational' means. This type of sewer will usually involve increasingly deep pipe construction, but it will avoid the long-term pumping and operational costs involved in a pressurised system. In a gravity network system pumping stations are normally introduced when pipe construction becomes impractical due to depth considerations. The project basically covers all of the respective areas of Al Maabela. Al Wahaibi added that both projects are expected to be completed within four years.
The signed contracts are just two of the five components of the Seeb Wastewater Project. There are similar wastewater projects in Muscat Governorate, notably at Al Amerat and Muttrah. Al Wahaibi said the success of the project and the achievement of its objectives would depend to a large extent on residents appreciating the nature of the project. Excavation work, road cutting and the resulting inconvenience are part of the nature of this project, he noted. Oman Wastewater Ser-vices Company will act to ensure that the message reaches all residents through a booklet explaining the different phases of the project. Moreover, leaflets will be distributed before each phase of work. OWSC welcomes any comments or queries through its toll free number 800 77 111, he added.
MUSCAT -- Abdullah bin Abbas bin Ahmed, Chairman of the board of directors of Oman Wastewater Services Company (OWSC), signed two contracts worth over RO 145 million, covering the development of two key components of the Seeb Wastewater project. The agreements were signed with Arab Contractors, which will implement the Al Maabela Gravity Drainage Network, and Galfar Engineering & Contracting, which will develop the Seeb Coastal Strip Vacuum Sewers Networks.
According to Omar bin Khalfan al Wahaibi, Chief Executive Officer of Oman Wastewater Services Company, the Seeb Coastal Strip Vacuum Sewers Networks project, valued at RO 86.904 million, involves the construction of 270 kilometres of vacuum sewer networks in the coastal strip areas north of Sultan Qaboos Street. Ten vacuum stations will be constructed in designated places to suck the wastewater through a network of vacuum sewers. The wastewater collected at the vacuum stations is then transferred to the main sewage treatment plant through pumping. OWSC is employing vacuum sewer technology after taking into account the topography and soil conditions of the area.
It also follows the discovery that the level of underground water is high and the area is flat, making the vacuum sewer system the most feasible technology. Furthermore, use of vacuum sewer technology will also avert the need for deep digging, thereby preventing the lowering of the underground water level during the construction. The project will cover Manuma, Maabela North, Gashbeh, Sharadi, A'Seeb old town, Wadi al Luwami, Hail North and Mawaleh North. The Al Maabela Gravity Drainage Network contract, worth RO 58.531 million, involves the construction of 170 kilometres of sewers that will be constructed in Al Maabela to the new wastewater network.
With gravity sewers being the preferred method of providing a wastewater network to customers in Maabela, such a system is based on a network of pipes that are sufficiently inclined to allow wastewater to flow through the system in the required direction by entirely natural 'gravitational' means. This type of sewer will usually involve increasingly deep pipe construction, but it will avoid the long-term pumping and operational costs involved in a pressurised system. In a gravity network system pumping stations are normally introduced when pipe construction becomes impractical due to depth considerations. The project basically covers all of the respective areas of Al Maabela. Al Wahaibi added that both projects are expected to be completed within four years.
The signed contracts are just two of the five components of the Seeb Wastewater Project. There are similar wastewater projects in Muscat Governorate, notably at Al Amerat and Muttrah. Al Wahaibi said the success of the project and the achievement of its objectives would depend to a large extent on residents appreciating the nature of the project. Excavation work, road cutting and the resulting inconvenience are part of the nature of this project, he noted. Oman Wastewater Ser-vices Company will act to ensure that the message reaches all residents through a booklet explaining the different phases of the project. Moreover, leaflets will be distributed before each phase of work. OWSC welcomes any comments or queries through its toll free number 800 77 111, he added.
© Oman Daily Observer 2008
