Al Wakra and Al Wukair sewage project to boost local spending, environmental sustainability: Ashghal president

Dr Saad bin Ahmad al-Muhannadi, president of the Public Works Authority (Ashghal), said the Al Wakra and Al Wukair Sewage Treatment Works (STW) project will enhance local spending in the country.

This will be done through the participation of many Qatari companies in subcontracting the services required by the project, which will contribute to stimulating productivity in the local economy and constitute a strong boost to the country’s industries and services. He said, "It is expected that 60% of the project’s fixed costs will be spent on local purchases, which include construction materials that will be supplied from local factories, services necessary to establish and maintain the plant, and electrical, mechanical and other equipment."On the importance of the project at the environmental level, the Ashghal president said the project contributes to achieving Qatar’s objectives in the field of environmental sustainability and a balance between industrial growth and the optimal use of resources. It is also in line with the growing interest around the world to benefit from treated water as a renewable resource that can be used in the fields of agriculture and industry. Through the Al Wakra and Al Wukair STW, treated water will be produced according to highest international specifications and standards to be used in increasing green areas in different area of the country, which will contribute to preserving the Qatari environment and protecting groundwater from pollution.Dr al-Muhannadi said the new public-private partnership contract, signed yesterday with Metito Utilities Limited, Al Attiya Motors and Trading Company, and Gulf Investment Corporation, comes as a continuation of the efforts made to increase participation of the local and international private sector in implementation of development projects, which contributes to enhancing competitiveness of companies and developingthe local private sector, and thus supporting economic development in the country. This is in addition to benefiting from global expertise and technological innovations brought by the private sector in the field of project management and implementation, to enhance the level of services provided in various fields.Ashghal Drainage Networks Projects Department manager Khalid al-Khayareen noted that the consortium of Metito Utilities Limited, Al Attiya Motors and Trading Company, and Gulf Investment Corporation was selected after floating a competitive tender that witnessed the participation of international companies.“The project is well-structured, and coupled with Qatar’s strong credit rating, it resulted in both regional and international lenders providing competitive rates,” he said, adding that this partnership will allow the private sector to bring international best practices to the development and operation of the project.Abdul Aziz al-Attiya, chairman of Al Attiya Motors and Trading Company, said: “Al Attiya Company is the largest shareholder in this consortium, which means providing an effective contribution to the capital, in addition to our decades-long experience working within the country. We are proud to award this contract via public-private partnership for the next 25 years, with the local and global expertise that our consortium has.”Rami Ghandour, managing director, Executive Board - Metito Utilities Limited, said: “It is an honour to be appointed by Ashghal as the lead developer of the country’s first public-private partnership in a sewage treatment project, the Al Wakra and Al Wukair STW, alongside our partners Al Attiya Motors and Trading Company, and Gulf Investment Corporation.""At Metito we are integrating the latest technologies as we invest close to $1bn," he added.Meshary al-Judaimi, deputy CEO and Group head of Principal Investments – Gulf investment Corporation, added: "In line with the corporation's strategy to focus on sectors with high added value, the corporation has chosen water, energy and infrastructure development projects as one of the most important sectors it contributes to. There is no doubt that Qatar, through the Public Works Authority, has demonstrated its ability to involve the public and private sectors in thedevelopment of huge and very important infrastructure projects."