MUSCAT, MAY 4
Amid increasing pressure on water resources caused by population growth, urbanisation, and climate change, the Barka IV Desalination Plant — Oman's largest desalination plant — has positioned itself as a key pillar of Oman's national water security strategy. Designed to align with Oman Vision 2040, the high-capacity plant produces 281,000 cubic metres of potable water daily—enough to serve more than one million people.
Operated under a 20-year build-own-operate agreement with Nama Power and Water Procurement Company, Barka IV has been operational since 2018. The plant is run by Veolia, which has integrated advanced reverse osmosis technology and artificial intelligence tools to optimise performance and reduce environmental impact.
In an interview with the Observer during a tour at the plant, Kirollos Sergyous, Plant Manager at Barka IV said, “The goal is to ensure clean, safe water reaches people efficiently and sustainably. Every system we’ve adopted is focused on reliability, environmental care, and long-term resilience for the Sultanate of Oman.”
Central to the plant’s efficiency is its reverse osmosis system, which includes 20,000 high-performance membranes operating at 60 bars. Energy recovery devices, which operate at a 97% efficiency rate, help significantly lower energy consumption during the desalination process.
“We have achieved one of the highest energy recovery rates in the region,” Sergyous noted
“This not only supports Oman's sustainability goals but also makes the plant more economically viable over the long term.”
The Barka IV facility takes environmental protection seriously. Intake towers located 1.5 kilometres offshore reduce the impact on marine ecosystems by operating at low velocities. In addition, protective air bubble curtains are used to prevent jellyfish and debris from entering the system, ensuring both ecosystem preservation and operational reliability.
On the front end, the plant employs dissolved air flotation (DAF) and dual media gravity filters to remove algae and suspended solids. Fine cartridge filters trap particles as small as five microns before water enters the reverse osmosis phase.
The treated water then goes through a remineralisation process using limestone filters to meet international drinking water standards. This ensures that the water delivered to consumers is not only clean but also safe and stable for everyday use.
A standout feature of the plant is its digitally equipped smart control room, which connects over 3,000 individual components for real-time monitoring and diagnostics. Using AI-powered tools like Hubgrid, the plant can anticipate maintenance needs and fine-tune operations in real time.
“Digitalisation has given us a new level of control,” said Sergyous. “We can detect issues before they happen, adjust our systems dynamically, and keep plant availability above 95 per cent—something that’s essential for a critical utility like this.”
As Oman moves to secure its water future in the face of environmental and demographic pressures, Barka IV stands as a benchmark for sustainable infrastructure powered by innovation and foresight.
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