Oman has formally launched the operations of its newly restructured water and wastewater service sector, informs Trade Arabia. The restructuring process has resulted in the creation of two entities under the Nama Group, he holding company of state-owned power and water utilities and service providers, owned by the Oman Investment Authority, the Sultanate’s sovereign wealth fund.
The Oman Water and Wastewater Services Company (OWWSC) has been formed out of the merger of the former Public Authority for Water (Diam), before the sole distributor of potable water services across Oman (except for the Dhofar Governorate), and the Oman Wastewater Services Company (Haya Water), the sole entity responsible for wastewater management in Oman (except for the Dhofar Governorate).
Meanwhile, in the Dhofar Governorate, in southern Oman, drinking water distribution and wastewater management are in the hands of the Dhofar Integrated Services Company (DISC), a newly established entity resulting from merging three existing entities: the Directorate General of Water – Dhofar, Salalah Sanitary & Drainage Services, and Dhofar Power Company.
The Authority for Public Services Regulation (APSR) will be in charge of sector regulation, and the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Water Resources, in charge of policy making.
Qais Al Zakwani, OWWSC’s new CEO, has said the new entity “will endeavour to achieve 98% water network coverage by 2040 in order to provide safe drinking water to all governorates except Dhofar, and expand our sanitation services to include the rest of the governorates, as well as seek out the most adaptable and creative digital technologies for reliable and sustainable services that meet the needs of our valued subscribers.”
The OWWSC will support and enable “Oman Vision 2040”, which recognises that managing traditional resources requires a balance between development requirements and environmental sustainability, and includes structural reforms in the water sector to increase water efficiency, expand sanitation services, and use modern technology in wastewater treatment.
