28 May 2016
Muscat - Haya Water is expected to complete the expansion of Al Ansab sewage treatment plant in the scheduled period by July next year, said a senior company official. The Al Ansab Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) presently provides more than 57,000 cubic metres per day of reuseable water to a large network of reuse water mains, which help provide the city with its lush and attractive appearance.

The Al Ansab phase 2 sewage treatment plant project, which was put up for tender in an international open bid, is the first sewage treatment project that Doosan Heavy Industries & construction had won in the Middle East.

"The phase 2 expansion of Al Ansab project aims to increase the number of domestic connection, besides, incorporating the addition of four new pump station referred to as central pump station to double its pumping capacity from 130,000m3/day to 260,000m3/day", said Said bin Rashid al Asmi, Projects General Manager at Haya Water. This is in line with Haya Water Master Plan 2013 and the Vision of coming up with a World Class water reuse system in Muscat, he said. "The duration of the construction is around 730 days the project commenced on August 18, 2015. The work is expected to be completed in July, 2017, as stipulated in the contract", he added.

The new enhancement and capacity increase will be effective from July this year due to the replacement of the old membrane in the existing eight MBR Tanks with new membrane and hence additional capacity of around 20,000m3 /day. The Al Ansab STP is one of the most complex and advanced projects ever undertaken in the region. This is being done to ensure that the city and the local community benefit from a modern, clean and healthy water reuse system by providing treated effluent for irrigation and other purposes across Muscat governorate.

The plant employs membrane bio reactor process which is a cutting-edge technology to treat waste water and produce high quality reclaimed water more efficiently with smaller environmental footprints.

The plant will be the largest membrane bioreactor facility in the Middle East, capable of treating up to 150,000 tonnes of sewage per day.

Last year Haya Water announced its plans to invest around RO 1.25 billion in the next coming years for building future sewage projects, in line with the company's master plan to develop a waste water facility across Muscat governorate.

This investment is being made for building sewage pipelines, trunk lines and sewage treatment plants in six catchment areas, which include Bausher, Al Amerat, Muttrah and Seeb. Haya Water aims at building a waste water system that connects 80 per cent of properties in Muscat governorate by 2020.

According to the company, the proposed investment for future projects in Seeb and Al Amerat catchment areas would be RO 200 million and RO 154 million, respectively.

© Oman Daily Observer 2016