A total of 13 consortiums are vying for a contract to build the first independent water project (IWP)  in Musandam Governorate in the north of Oman, according to a report.

Top water utilities from Spain, France, Australia, UAE and Qatar besides other individual bidders have submitted the statement of qualifications (SoQ) for the project, reported Oman Observer, citing the Oman Power and Water Procurement Company (OPWP).

The key players in the race include international heavyweights such as Abengoa Water and Tedagua of Spain, French utility giant Veolia (Middle East), leading UAE-based wastewater solutions provider Acwa Emirates and Korean group GS Inima.

Also in the fray are consortiums headed by Al Fanar Energy (Qatar), Metito (UAE), Romman Premium Enterprise and House of Trading and Services (Oman), Sete Energy (Saudi Arabia) and US-based group Seven Seas. Rounding off the list are Osmoflo (Australia) and Utico (UAE).

OPWP is also overseeing the competitive process for the procurement of a roughly 16,000 cu m per day capacity seawater desalination plant to be set up at Khasab, said the report.

Targeted for completion in 2019, the new Khasab IWP will help ease the enclave’s dependence on a small network of diesel-powered desalination plants for its potable water requirements, it added.