The Public Authority for Electricity and Water (PAEW) has completed a number of water projects in the Wilayat of al Mudhaibi in the Governorate of North Al Batinah while works are still progressing in some other projects. These projects include water supply to eight villages in the wilayat through the construction of tanks on which water tankers depend to transfer potable water to houses and establishments.

A responsible source at the company executing the project said the project included the construction of eight concrete tanks and connecting them through pipelines to transfer water from Al Sharqiyah water pipeline. The total distance of these lines is 130 kilometres. The official affirmed that PAEW is constantly studying and implementing a number of water projects in different wilayats to meet the needs of the people for potable water.

The move comes as part of the government’s ongoing developmental projects aimed at completing the Sultanate’s infrastructure, and in implementation of the government’s strategy to rely on desalinated water in order to meet the country’s need of potable water. Recently, the PAEW signed a multi-million rial contract with Al Hassan Engineering Company SAOG for the construction of Phase 1 of the Emergency Water Storage Reservoirs Project in the Muscat Governorate.

PAEW is overseeing the development of a network of a number of emergency storage reservoirs located at strategic sites around the capital region. This backup network will be automatically deployed in the event of a supply crisis or a technical breakdown in the Muscat Water Supply Scheme, which currently serves the capital city.

An emergency water reservoir network conceived out of PAEW’s contingency planning for the Muscat Governorate, following the adverse weather events of June 2007.

Furthermore, the emergency storage network is also intended to keep the city well supplied in the event of any disruption in operations at the Ghubrah and Barka desalination plants, which meet much of Muscat’s potable water demand. In 2009, PAEW commissioned the internationally renowned consultancy firm, Sogreah, to undertake the detailed design of the emergency water reservoir network for the Muscat Governorate.