By Conrad Prabhu — MUSCAT — Well-known Omani contractor Al Hassan Engineering Company has commenced construction work on the network of back-up water reservoirs for Muscat Governorate at a cost of approximately RO 32 million. Under a contract awarded by the Tender Board on behalf of the Public Authority for Electricity and Water (PAEW), Al Hassan Engineering will construct emergency water reservoirs at four locations around the capital region: Ruwi, Al Wadi al Kabir, Wattayah and Qurum.
They represent Phase 1 of an ambitious initiative by PAEW to build a network of back-up reservoirs at nearly a dozen strategic locations across the city — reserve capacity that is designed to automatically kick in in the event of a breakdown in the primary water distribution network or a major supply shortfall. At Ruwi, Al Hassan Engineering is constructing a covered, reinforced concrete reservoir with a capacity of 25,000 cubic metres.
Al Wadi al Kabir, with its burgeoning residential neighbourhoods, will boast a pair of emergency reservoirs of a capacity of 15,000 cubic metres apiece. Wattayah will also feature a back-up reservoir of 15,000 cubic metres’ capacity. Qurum will host a pair of huge reservoirs with a capacity of 73,000 cubic metres apiece. In addition to the construction of the ground level reservoirs, the contractor will also build associated infrastructure, such as access roads, guard houses, pump systems, tanker filling stations, and connections to the local supply grid.
Significantly, the decision to construct a system of emergency water reservoirs in Muscat Governorate came in the wake of Cyclone Gonu which, among other things, threw the city’s potable water distribution system completely out of gear in June 2007. As pumping systems failed and taps ran dry, authorities had to deploy mobile tankers and distribute bottled water to keep the city reasonably well supplied.
French-based international consultant Sogreah is advising the PAEW in the implementation of the Muscat Emergency Water Reservoirs Project. A study undertaken by the consultant in the wake of the June 2007 crisis identified the need for reserve capacity to be augmented through the construction of back-up reservoirs in key locations across the city.
Those locations have been identified as Muscat, Ruwi, Al Wadi al Kabir, Mumtaz Area, Al Amerat, Qurum, Bausher, New Bausher, Ghala Airport Heights, Seeb, Al Khoudh, Rusayl and Barka.
