Oman- Haya Water organises visit to Al Ansab Wetlands

(MENAFN- Muscat Daily) Muscat- In accordance with its environmental and health mission to make Oman greener and healthier, Oman Wastewater Services Company (Haya Water) has organised a visit for a number of undersecretaries to Al Ansab Wetland, which is considered one of the tourist attractions, and an environmental and health landmark in Muscat Governorate.

This can be mainly attributed to its role in attracting large numbers of local and migrating birds (nearly 300 species). As a result, during the last years, many researchers and bird lovers from different countries of the world are attracted to this place.

The visit aimed to explain to the government officials about the wetlands and their complementary role in the treatment of wastewater, which basically aims to protect groundwater from pollution and conserve it through the production of treated wastewater. The treated wastewater is considered an environmentally-friendly alternative that can be utilised in afforestation, agriculture and other industrial and commercial purposes.

During the visit, many local and migratory birds were seen and visitors were given a detailed explanation about the birds' life cycle, their usual annual seasons and ways of living.

The visitors also had the opportunity to observe the Omani trees garden, which contains many varieties of trees from all governorates of the sultanate.

Haya Water is now working to enroll Al Ansab Wetlands in the Ramsar Convention for Wetlands, an international convention for the conservation and sustainable use of wetlands in order to stop the gradual loss of wetlands in the present and the future, and also to preserve the basic ecological aspects of wetlands and develop their economic, cultural and scientific role. This will be a significant addition to the tourism system in the sultanate and to be added to the map of wetlands for interested people and researchers from all around the world.

The event also included a visual presentation about the company and its work since the establishment in 2002. The presentation talked about the most significant phases of development the company has witnessed starting from the agreements that were signed with various governmental authorities to the huge task that has been entrusted to it by the government to manage, plan, operate and develop all the wastewater assets and facilities in all regional governorates of the sultanate except Dhofar. This is, no doubt, an indication of the company's cumulative experience in this field that has been gained throughout the years.

Haya Water is truly proud of the number of its beneficiaries which has reached 750,000 in Muscat and 250,000 in other governorates except Dhofar. This is, yet, an additional component that can be added to the mission of achieving the strategic objectives to protect fresh groundwater reserves and reduce the use of expensive desalination water for afforestation and other industrial purposes.
The company, with regards to utilising treated wastewater, has successfully managed to market and sell 127mn m3 from 2012 to end of 2017 and, thus, saving the country nearly RO203mn which would have been spent in seawater desalination.

Moreover, the company has contributed to the reduction of 250,000 tonnes of Carbon Dioxide emissions which usually result from the desalination processes.

MENAFN301202201800490000ID1096407529

--MENAFN301202201800490000ID1096407529-->