The potable water supply crisis that has adversely impacted parts of Dhofar Governorate in the wake of Cyclone Mekunu will end shortly, according to the Public Authority for Electricity and Water (PAEW). “The authorities concerned in Dhofar Governorate are working on this and they are expecting to run some plants by diesel generators”, said Abdulla al Arafati, a senior engineer at the PAEW. “As an interim respite, the authorities are supplying water by tankers to all places besides the city as they can”, he added.
The supply disruption follows a decision by Sembcorp Salalah Power and Water Company to halt production of desalinated water at its Mirbat plant in Dhofar. In a filing to the Capital Market Authority yesterday, it attributed its decision to turbulent marine conditions unleashed by the cyclone.
Post-Mekunu, water scarcity has gripped the city of Salalah and the outskirts. People depend upon the bottled water which is limited in supply. Houses, businesses and mosques are affected. However, the PAEW said the situation will be normal soon.
“We are coordinating with the authorities and we have provided them with diesel generators and dewatering pumps. In addition, we have some teams kept ready should they need any support”, Al Arafati added. Residents and citizens praised the efforts of the authorities in ensuring the supply of potable water intact till Saturday. “It was a great job by the authorities, having handled such a crisis without any power cuts. There were many instances where the water supply got disrupted causing huge inconvenience in New Salalah. Water supply was affected in other areas of Dhofar since two days”, Najah Nasser, an expatriate told the Observer.
KABEER YOUSUF
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