Suez Environnement to construct two desalination and wastewater treatment facilities in Middle East

French utility company Suez Environnement’s subsidiary Degrémont has secured two contracts to build two wastewater and desalination projects in the Middle East.

The firm has been selected by Hyundai Engineering & Construction to design, construct and operate a desalination plant located at the new Mirfa Independent Water and Power Project (Mirfa IWPP) in Abu Dhabi, UAE.

Mirfa IWPP project is being implemented by Abu Dhabi Water and Electricity Authority (ADWEA).

The €146m contract includes €117m for the design and construction of a reverse osmosis (RO) seawater desalination plant.

Following the construction, the company will operate and maintain the RO plant for seven years for €29m.

The plant will be equipped with SeaDaf filtration technology to pre-treat the water from the Arabian Gulf, which is turbid and rich in algae, the company said.

Located 160km from Abu Dhabi, the plant will provide double RO treatment for desalination and supply 140,000m³ of water per day.

Oman water authority Haya Water has awarded the second contract to Degrémont for designing and operating a wastewater treatment plant in Al-Amerat.

The project will be handled by Suez Environnement in co-ordination with Oman-based civil engineering firm Al-Ansari Trading Entreprise through a 1:1 partnership.

Estimated at €50m, the contract scope includes two-year operation and maintenance responsibility for Suez Environnement.

The two new projects strengthen the position of the utility firm in the Middle East’s wastewater treatment and desalination industry.

Suez Environnement deputy CEO in charge of international division Marie-Ange Debon said: "We are proud to have won these two new contracts in this region, which must meet the dual challenge of demographic growth and protection of its water resources.

"They demonstrate our capacity to offer sustainable technological solutions in response to the challenge of local water stress challenges."