Qatar has taken a very important and strategic step today towards water security as the Prime Minister and Minister of the Interior H E Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa Al Thani inaugurated the first phase of water pumping of the strategic mega reservoirs project and pumping stations in the Umm Salal.
This is a moment of pride for Qatar General Electricity and Water Corporation (Kahramaa) as they achieved the feat much before schedule and this is one of the biggest reservoir projects in the world.
This project also assumes significance considering the size of the storage capacity and the role it will play in ensuring water security of the country in the short and long term.
The opening of the project six months before schedule once again underlines Qatar’s resoluteness and capacity to overcome hurdles and unexpected turn of events like the illegal blockade by the four Arab countries.
The government and the state-run companies like Kahramaa were quick to find way around the siege and establish ties with new partners without any delay.
These quick and decisive actions not only helped the smooth progression of such a large project, which need a lot of coordinated efforts from many stakeholders, but also helped reduce the cost substantially.
Kahramaa managed to shave off QR2.7bn from the initial estimate of QR17.2bn. This is a very significant saving of money and time as many projects in the region are finding that the cost is ballooning and target dates are postponed.
These five reservoirs in Um Baraka, Um Salal, Rawdat Rashid, Abu Nakhla and Al Thumama will boost the water capacity by 164 percent and will take care of the needs of the country till 2026.
The project adds 1,400 million gallons to the existing 900 million gallons, which will help supply water to the country for months in case of an emergency.
Qatar also has a ready-to-use groundwater stock underwater water security plan, which is a precious resource and the usage is regularized through laws. These are all very well protected and preserved using the latest scientific methods.
Planning a project of such huge dimensions with a focus on future needs and executing them in a cost-effective and timely manner despite the unexpected challenges shows the vision of the State and its bodies in nation building and the commitment of the leadership to the welfare of its people.
