98% population in Oman to get safe, piped water by 2040

Muscat: By 2040, 98 per cent of the Sultanate’s population will have safe piped drinking water, according to the Public Authority for Electricity and Water (PAEW).
PAEW is developing strategies and master plans to ensure it carries out its vision for “safe drinking water to provide high quality services and energy for all residents of the Sultanate”, PAEW said in a statement.
More than 290 million cubic metres of drinking water was delivered in 2015, according to the company.
In 2014, the output of water was 283 million cubic metres, with a 6 per cent increase in 2015.
Presently, Public Authority for Electricity and Water provides drinking water throughout Oman, except in the Dhofar region.
According to new statistics, 76 per cent of water comes from desalination plants, and this water is distributed to the north of the Sultanate, with its high population density.
The desalination plant in Sur province recorded the maximum processing of water in 2015, with 228.6 million cubic metres, compared to 214 cubic metres in 2014.
Additionally, increasing demand for drinking water resulted in the building of a new desalination plant in Al Ghubra, as well as the expansion of other stations, the statement said.
The new Ghubra desalination plant is expected to contribute to raising the water levels in the main distribution reservoirs, as well as improving water pressure and providing water to Muscat Governorate.
Also, construction of a new desalination plant in Quriyat is now under way, and is expected to be completed in the second quarter of 2017.
According to the statement, PAEW has secured locations to build independent desalination plants in highly populated coastal areas.
Further, the company has already begun to set up new desalination plants in Barka and Sohar, which are expected to being operating in the second quarter of 2018.
Further, wells contribute 20 per cent of the nation’s water supply, which is used after Omani officials have determined its safety, the statement said.
Also, the wells provide drinking water in remote areas where PAEW is not able to connect customers with water pipelines.
PAEW is now extending their networks to these areas, and is expected to complete the pipelines in the near future, at which time they will stop using the wells, the statement noted.
Some 758 wells in Oman are operated by PAEW.