Muscat – Veolia Oman has reached a new milestone in providing one billion cubic metres of clean, potable water produced by various projects in the sultanate. This achievement represents a major contribution to Oman’s water resilience and highlights the country’s progress in utilising advanced desalination technologies to secure water for its citizens. ‘The celebration of this milestone today (December 10) underscores the ongoing commitment to supporting Oman’s Vision 2040 goals of sustainability and securing access to vital resources, particularly in a region where water is scarce,’ says Erwan Rouxel, CEO, Veolia Oman.

In your opinion, what are the key factors that Oman’s water resilience depends on, and ho w significant is Veolia Oman’s contribution in this regard?

Oman’s water resilience depends on sustainable desalination practices, efficient water management systems, and leveraging advanced technologies to mitigate scarcity. Veolia Oman has been a key contributor by delivering one billion cubic metres of potable water through its desalination projects while providing state-of-the-art standards and innovative solutions.  

Could you briefly touch upon the merits of Veolia’s projects in Salalah, Sur, Barka, Dhakliyah-Sharkiyah? And are any more new projects currently on the anvil?

Each of Veolia’s projects is a testament to cutting-edge engineering and operational excellence.  Barka Desalination Plant stands as Oman’s largest desalination plant, reinforcing our mission to ensure water security in the capital city and surroundings. It is one of the most energy-efficient desalination plants in the world, consuming only 2.8 kWh/m³ of energy while providing high-quality drinking water and facing regularly adverse sea water quality.  

The Sur Desalination Plant continues to supply safe drinking water being the first of its kind fully powered with renewable energy during daylight hours. This initiative is part of the group’s ongoing drive to decarbonise its activities and support its clients in their carbon neutrality objectives.

Salalah’s project reflects our strong commitment to local talent promotion, supplying potable water to the Dhofar region in the extreme south of the country.  In Addition, Dakhiliyah, Veolia operates several small RO plants, each tailored to meet local needs, ensuring reliable access to water in remote areas to serve rural communities.

Were there any hurdles in the path of achieving this milestone (1 billion cu m of potable water) and how did you overcome them?

Reaching this milestone wasn’t without challenges, such as scaling operations to meet increasing demand and optimising processes and asset management. These were addressed through innovation, rigorous safety standards, and collaboration with local authorities and partners. Our unwavering commitment to operational excellence and local talents identification and training helped us overcome these challenges successfully.

Has Oman’s potable water consumption shot up by leaps and bounds over the past decade and are you fully geared towards meeting the increasing demand in the years ahead?

Yes, Oman’s water consumption has grown due to population and industrial expansion. Veolia is fully prepared to meet this demand, backed by state-of-the-art desalination technology and strategic planning. Our continuous commitment in infrastructure and sustainability ensures readiness for future growth.

To be in line with Oman’s Vision 2040 sustainability goals, how ‘green’ are your various projects and are efforts on to make them more eco-friendly in the near future?

Veolia’s projects are deeply integrated with Oman Vision 2040 through their focus on decarbonisation, resource regeneration, and sustainable practices. Initiatives like renewable energy integration at desalination plants exemplify this commitment. Moving forward, we aim to incorporate more solutions in our operation to reduce and optimise the energy consumption of the assets. We also constantly monitor the impact of our activities on the resources which need to be protected and regenerated.  

How much credit do you give to the concerned authorities/ministries which have facilitated/supported Veolia’s initiatives and efforts over the years?

The role of Omani authorities and ministries has been invaluable in facilitating Veolia’s operations. Their regulatory guidance, support in local partnerships, and alignment with national goals have been instrumental in achieving milestones such as the delivery of one billion cubic metres of potable water.

In a region where surface water sources and ground water sources are absent, does not an overdependence on desalination and recycling of waste water have certain consequences in the long run? Can you clarify some HSE factors in this regard?

Desalination and wastewater reuse are essential in water-scarce regions, but they require careful management to minimize environmental impacts. Veolia prioritises HSE factors through stringent controls, energy-efficient technologies, and responsible brine discharge practices, ensuring these solutions remain sustainable in the long term.

What is your next immediate goal?

Our next goal is to expand into water network management for reducing the losses in the distribution networks, complementing our desalination expertise by ensuring that more potable water is reaching the end-users taps. Beside, we also aim to expand our footprint in the wastewater sector to contribute even more to the reuse and regeneration of the resource. Veolia is committed to supporting Oman’s water sector to further contribute to its resilience and development in line with Vision 2040.