Veolia, a global leader in optimised resource management, said it is working closely with Saudi dam contractors to deploy its advanced purification solutions in the kingdom.

The company will be providing the hi-tech solutions through its subsidiary, Veolia Water Technologies, a specialist in offering solutions for public and private-sector clients seeking to design, build, maintain, or upgrade water and wastewater treatment facilities.

Water security is a major concern for the kingdom, as the recently launched Qatrah initiative aims to slash per-capita daily water consumption almost in half, from 263 litres currently to 150 litres, by 2030.

Supporting the kingdom’s water security, Veolia Water Technologies said contractors for three strategic dams have chosen its advanced purification solutions, thus bringing global best practice to solve the region’s most pressing environmental challenge.

Its complete suite of water treatment technologies includes PH adjustment, dissolved air flotation, biological treatment, filtration, ultrafiltration, and reverse osmosis.

Its advanced dam water treatment technologies have been supplied in various locations in the kingdom since 2000, including Hili, Kholais, and Wadi Itwad, Beasha, and Aradah, said a top official.

"Saudi Arabia’s Qatrah initiative is showing global best practices in adopting modern techniques to help arid countries make the most of water in their existing reservoirs and streamline the processes by which it is made safe for human consumption,” remarked Dr Badr Ghawji, the managing director, Veolia Water Technologies for Saudi Arabia.

"Some are capable of receiving high-turbidity water of up to 1,000 Nephelometric Turbidity Unit (NTU), with proven performance and excellent water quality. Chemical consumption is up to 40 per cent lower, and they are also cheaper to operate and maintain," he stated.

The first dam in Saudi Arabia to use Actiflo, a high-rate and compact water clarification process with footprints up to 50 times lower than those of comparable systems, was Maraba.

Capable of handling 65,000 cu m/day, this plant also uses multimedia pressurised filtration systems, reverse osmosis of 50,000 cu m/day and additional reverse osmosis reject recovery of 60 per cent.

Actiflo was then installed at Beash Dam, Jizan, during the upgrade of its first phase, and processes 33,000 cu m/day of water. The dam serves some 450,000 residents and is capable of processing 94,000 cu m/day of water.

On behalf of the contractor, Suleiman Al Qasoumi Establishment, Veolia supplied Multiflo which is an efficient process to remove total suspended solids (TSS), colour, algae and heavy metal co-precipitates for drinking water production, as well as gravity filters, and related chemicals.

Through a direct contract with Saudi Arabia’s Saline Water Conversion Corporation (SWCC), Veolia also built the Middle East’s first Actiflo Carb.

The third Actiflo beneficiary in Saudi Arabia was Tarjes Dam, which is located in Asir region of tthe kingdom.

It has the capacity to treat 50,000 cu m/day of water, providing potable water to 200,000 inhabitants of nearby Al Namas city.-TradeArabia News Service