Water. Desalination + reuse
Issue link: https://fhpublishing.uberflip.com/i/100112
CoNtRaCt&teNDeRNeWs Sumitomo consortium wins Al Ghubrah business The contract for the Al Ghubrah Independent Water Project (IWP) in Muscat, Oman, has been awarded to a consortium of Sumitomo Corporation of Japan, Malakoff Corporation Berhad of Malaysia and Cadagua SA of Spain. Oman���s first IWP will involve a 190,000 m3/d reverse-osmosis seawater desalination plant constructed on a build-own-operate basis over a 20-year period. Commercial operation is expected to start in September 2014. The Al Ghubrah project is expected to cost up to approximately �� 30 billion (US$ 377.8 million) in total and is planned to be funded by Japanese financial institutions through a project finance scheme. Sumitomo and Malakoff will each invest in 45% of the shares of the project company as major shareholders. The two companies will also establish an operation and maintenance company for active involvement in operation and maintenance. oPWP seeks consultant for two desalination projects The Oman Power and Water Procurement Company SAOC (OPWP) has invited specialized companies to submit offers for supervisory consultancy services for the Al Ghubrah IWP and Barka I water projects, both of which involve desalination plants. Via its tender 15/2012, OPWP wishes to appoint a suitably qualified and experienced consultant to provide project management and technical consultancy services during the construction, commissioning and testing of the projects, which are being implemented on a build-own-operate basis under the terms of respective water purchase agreements with OPWP. The Al Ghubrah IWP (see above) will be based on a 42 million MIGD (191,000 m��/d) capacity seawater reverseosmosis desalination plant. The Barka I project is a 10 MIGD (45,460 m��/d) extension to the existing ACWA Power Barka plant. Closing date for tenders is 8 December 2012. acciona to operate Barcelona sWRo Barcelona���s two seawater desalination plants will now be managed by a consortium led by Spanish desalination contractor Acciona Agua and the Brazilian bank BTG Pactual. Acciona announced a deal with the Generalitat de Catalu��a, the Catalonian regional government, on 6 November 2012 for the concession to manage Aig��es Ter Llobregat, the company that manages the upstream water supply for Barcelona, the metropolitan area and nine nearby districts, a population of nearly 5 million. The two desalination plants are the 200,000 m��/d Prat de Llobregat and the 200 million m��/year Tordera facilities. Acciona already operates desalination plants in Adelaide, Australia; Tampa, USA; and Beckton, UK. | 6 | Desalination & Water Reuse | November-December 2012 Texas moves towards direct potable reuse The US state of Texas has taken a step towards direct potable water reuse (DPR) with the Texas Water Development Board awarding a study project to Alan Plummer Associates Inc (APAI), consultants based in the state. The primary goal of the project is to create a guidance document that can be used by utilities, agencies, and consultants as a reference for sound technical information and recommendations related to the implementation of DPR projects (or indirect potable reuse projects with limited environmental buffers) in Texas. The proposed approach includes the development of water quality performance goals and identification of specific treatment schemes that can be used to achieve these. The current drought has demonstrated the awesome challenges Texas faces to meet its water supply needs through traditional supplies as well as supplemental strategies such as water reuse. Significant progress has been made in advancing water reuse strategies in the state, both for direct non-potable reuse and indirect potable reuse. However, due to the recent drought and heightened awareness of the scarcity of water, a number of entities are interested in pursuing more direct forms of potable reuse that eliminate or minimize the role of an environmental buffer. APAI has extensive water reuse experience and unique depth of understanding and broad perspectives about reuse. The company says that its understanding of the myriad of issues, influences, and opportunities that must be balanced and addressed concerning potable water reuse both in Texas and throughout the nation was a key component of its selection. APAI���s team will be led by Dr Ellen McDonald, recognized as a premiere expert in water reuse within the state. The project also includes participation by a number of APAI clients who are key water-supply stakeholders. The firm will also coordinate with the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality and other appropriate agency interests.