Bahrain’s Electricity and Water Authority (EWA) has signed a BD3.96 million ($10.5 million) water pipeline contract with Panorama Company funded by the Arab Fund for Economic and Social Development.

The company will extend the pipeline to transport water from the Al Dur pumping plant to Al Areen distribution plant, reported the Gulf Daily News, our sister publication.

There will also be an extension of a pipeline to transport water from Sanad intersection to the distribution station of East Isa Town as part of the second phase of a development project of water transport networks.

These works are expected to be completed by the first quarter of 2014, which will enable the EWA to transfer part of the production of Al Dur Power and Water Plant to the Southern and Central areas of the kingdom.

The second phase of the development project of the water transport networks for the years 2009-2012 includes extending pipelines and establishing new stations to transport water to enable the EWA to transfer and distribute 48m gallons of water that is being produced after completion of the first phase of the plant.

The project includes establishing nine new pumping and distribution plants, and rehabilitation of 12 existing plants, in addition to increasing the storage capacity to 215m gallons - 70 per cent by establishing underground and upper tanks, and extending pipelines to transport water.

The extension of the pipelines will start from Al Dur Power and Water Plant in the Southern Governorate, reaching to Seef District in the Capital Governorate, the Northern City in the Northern Governorate, passing through the Central Governorate with an increase of 45pc.

The project also includes the completion of the works occurring after Hidd project - the third phase, and replacing some of the old water transport pipelines in Muharraq and Central Governorates.

The project aims at improving water security condition in the kingdom, in addition to providing flexibility in the supply, through connecting several plants with more than one source of the available sources of water in the kingdom, ensuring the balance in the distributed quantities and the quality of that water.

It is expected to fully complete the project at the end of 2015, taking into consideration that priority is given to the works related to Al Dur plant, where they will be completed at the end of the contractual time framework of the project.

EWA chief executive Shaikh Nawaf bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa said the contract comes within the main plan set by the authority to develop and expand water transport networks in Bahrain to meet the growing demand of electricity and water for development, urban and industrial expansion purposes. – TradeArabia News Service