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New wastewater treatment plant initiated in Darsait

By Ahmed bin Abdulla al Husni MUSCAT -- The new Darsait Waste Water Treatment Plant will replace the old one constructed in the late 1970s, owing to the poor facilities and limited capacity.

The new project aims at boosting the capacity of the plant so that it can deal effectively with treated water in the future. Unlike the old plant, the treatment units in the new plant will be totally covered in order to facilitate the process of ventilation and handle the problem of foul smell resulting from the process of treatment.

In an interview with Oman daily, sister Arabic daily of the Observer, Omar bin Khalfan al Wahaibi, Executive President, Haya Water , said work on the new project will start within six months. Construction work in Phase 1 has already commenced and designing and land levelling processes are under way.

The total cost of the project is RO 37 million. Phase 1 of the project will be concluded in two years, whereas Phase 2 will be completed in one year, after which the project will be operational for two years before handing over to Haya Water . The project is a key stage of the Muscat sewage project.

Al Wahaibi said it is a comprehensive treatment plant, equipped with a major pump for water input and another one designated for clean water output. About the selection of Darsait as a location of the project, Al Wahaibi noted that in the existing plant, the water runs by using gravitational pull, without being pumped, because it is constructed on a low-lying area.

"We know that Darsait is a residential area, and the project is located close to schools and buildings. This point has been taken into consideration to eliminate any negative effects such as foul smell," Al Wahaibi told the paper.

"The water which flows into the sea is treated water. In any treatment plant there should be an outlet for surplus water to flow. The Muscat Municipality is the biggest user of treated water for irrigation. The consultants are currently preparing the designs and surveys to establish an alternative sea inflow, " Al Wahaibi said.

About the breakdown that took place lately, the executive president said: "The breakdown happened as a result of a mechanical failure in one of the pumps. It was changed within a short time. Unfortunately the mechanical failure happened at a time when the emergency pumps were being used in another location, and that caused the water to overflow from the network."

"We request the residents to have patience because we are still using the old system. All problems will be solved when the new plant becomes operational," Al Wahaibi said.

© Oman Daily Observer 2011