Kahramaa building mega reservoirs to ensure water security

In a major step towards achieving water security in the country, the Qatar General Electricity and Water Corporation (Kahramaa) has set in motion the process of building five primary reservoir and pumping station (PRPS) packages as part of its Water Security Mega Reservoirs project.The objective of the project is to provide seven days’ potable water storage in new reservoirs, combined with the existing and future secondary reservoirs, to preserve Qatar’s water quality in line with Kahramaa and World Health Organisation standards. Earlier this week, Kahramaa announced the tender for local and international companies to bid for construction of the PRPS packages. “It (the project) is hugely significant for the utilities sector in the region and globally. As the largest-ever water security undertaking, it is sure to have an impact around the world where other countries are seeking to ensure strategic water supplies for their populations,” said Kamiran Ibrahim, managing director, utilities, at Hyder Consulting, the detail design and site supervision consultant on the project. “The issue of the tender for the five PRPS construction packages represents a major milestone for the Water Security Mega Reservoirs project,” said Maher Chatila, country manager, Qatar.The five separate packages (A-E) cover material supply, construction, testing and commissioning related to the reservoirs, pumping stations, pipework, mechanical, electrical, ICA (instrumentation, control and automation), civil, structural and architectural works for the mega reservoir sites at Umm Birka, Umm Slal, Al Thumama, Rawdhat Rashid and Abu Nakhla. Contractors are required to submit their proposals by June 5.The project entails the construction of five mega-reservoir sites and approximately 200km of large-diameter ring mains. Each reservoir site will ultimately include up to nine reservoir modules, with up to five per site being included in the current tender, each of which will be among the largest of its type in the world. The reservoirs and pipeline network, with associated pumping stations, will provide up to 17mn cubic metres of strategic potable water storage. A massive ring main system will be provided between the independent water and power generation plants, allowing water to flow from north to south and vice-versa, so that it may be delivered to any location in eastern Qatar irrespective of water availability.Hyder has been working closely with Kahramaa since March 2012 to fast-track the unique design of mega reservoirs, pumping stations and pipework to meet the client’s ambitious programme. This technically demanding undertaking involves complex hydraulics and operational philosophies, mixed with the engineering and stakeholder challenges associated with delivering such significant volumes of water storage and networking. The Mega Reservoirs project has successfully achieved its early milestones, cumulating in the tendering of the five PRPS packages.“This is one of the largest contracts ever tendered by Hyder and we are mobilising a team to answer questions from contractors as they begin preparing their proposals. We look forward to moving to the construction stage where, as site supervision consultant, Hyder will remain closely involved in the realisation of this project alongside Kahramaa,” Chatila added.Hyder’s multi-disciplinary team is responding to this complex and demanding project with technical and methodological innovation that is being delivered through its global offices in Doha, Bangalore, Manila and the UK. A detailed fast-track design, procurement and construction sequence has been devised to achieve project completion as scheduled in 2017.“We believe that in constructing a such a world landmark project, Kahramaa will truly give Qatar the best in water security, creating an asset that will support generations to come with the confidence to turn on their taps, to know the water will run, and providing the flexibility to cater for major global events such as the World Cup in 2022,” said Helen Bali, technical director, utilities, and project manager.