Nama awards RO 900m water services contract

MUSCAT: Nama Water Services has awarded a 15-year contract worth approximately RO 900 million to improve the efficiency and sustainability of water and wastewater services, in one of the largest performance-based agreements of its kind in the Middle East.
The contract covers Muscat, North Al Sharqiyah and South Al Sharqiyah governorates, serving more than 2.3 million people, equivalent to around 43 per cent of Oman's population. It was awarded to a consortium comprising France's Suez, the Oman Infrastructure Fund (RIKAZ), National Trading Company and the National Energy Centre.
The agreement forms part of Nama Water Services' institutional transformation programme, shifting towards a performance-based operating model designed to improve asset management, reduce water losses and enhance long-term service sustainability. While the consortium will be responsible for operations, Nama Water Services will continue to oversee governance, regulation and performance management.
Qais bin Saud al Zakwani, Chief Executive Officer of Nama Water Services, said the agreement represented a significant milestone in modernising the sector.
'This project represents an advanced stage in the company's institutional transformation journey and reflects its vision to reshape the water sector management and operation model according to a global system based on performance, innovation and sustainability. This will enhance asset management efficiency, strengthen the resilience of the water system, and establish a new generation of smarter, more sustainable and future-ready services,' he said.

He added that the project places strong emphasis on knowledge transfer and workforce development, with an Omanisation target exceeding 83 per cent, while also strengthening local content and creating additional value for the national economy.
Under the agreement, the consortium will operate and maintain 240 groundwater wells, manage a 10,700-kilometre potable water network, distribute around 470,000 cubic metres of drinking water each day, upgrade four desalination plants and operate more than 400,000 smart water meters.
Wastewater operations include the management of 22 treatment plants with a combined treatment capacity of 280,000 cubic metres per day, a 3,000-kilometre sewerage network and 400 kilometres of treated water pipelines for reuse.
The contract is built around 33 key performance indicators covering operational efficiency, service quality and infrastructure performance.
Al Zakwani said one of its principal objectives is to reduce non-revenue water from 34 per cent to 11 per cent by 2040 through advanced leak detection, predictive maintenance, digital monitoring systems and data-driven asset management.
He said the adoption of operational intelligence, smart technologies and predictive analytics would improve decision-making, increase network reliability and establish a more proactive approach to managing water and wastewater assets.
Nama Water Services said the agreement supports the objectives of Oman Vision 2040 by improving water security, strengthening critical infrastructure and introducing global best practices in utility management, while ensuring long-term operational sustainability for one of the country's most essential public services.