2005 - 2006 - Pinsent Masons Water Yearbook 2012

OMAN PART 2: COUNTRY ANALYSIS
Oman
Economics (2002)
GDP per capita US$8,002
GDP per capita (PPP) US$13,340
GDP in Agriculture (1990) 3%
GDP in Industry (1990) 58%
GDP in Services (1990) 39%
Some 84% of Oman’s population live in urban areas, with 91% of the urban population officially
receiving safe water supplies and 75% having adequate sewerage services in 1991. However, just
14% of Muscat’s sewage was treated in 2003. Oman has been the pioneer in utility privatisation in the
Gulf since 1994. The Ministry of Electricity and Water was corporatised by 2001, along with the
implementation of an independent regulator.
Population
2003 (million) 2.6
2015 (million) 3.4
Urbanisation in 2003 78%
Urbanisation by 2015 83%
In urban agglomerations, 2015 0%
Water BOOT projects are intended to sell water to the Government, which will in turn sell this water on
to customers, with its preferred level of subsidies. Five projects were outlined by the Ministry of
Development in 1994, which have started to emerge as fully fledged BOOT concepts. The
Government has ruled that BOOT contracts will operate via a locally based joint stock company. It is
proposed that 40% of each BOOT’s equity is to be floated on the Oman Stock Exchange in Muscat: [1]
Salalah WWTW BOOT [2] Al Massarat groundwater distribution BOOT, [3] Al Ashkara desalination
BOOT, [4] Muscat WWTW BOOT and [5] Barqa power and desalination BOOT.
Urban Data
Served by piped water 96%
Access to sewerage 98%
With sewage treatment 0%
To date, the implementation of these plans has not been a smooth one. The Muscat wastewater
treatment plant project has resulted in a 30 year BOOT concession being awarded to Cascal after
SECTO withdrew in 2001. Cascal in turn pulled out and the process is being restarted.
Freshwater
Annual availability (2000) 0.9km³
Per capita 388m 3
Annual withdrawal (1990) 1.2km³
Domestic (1987) 5%
Industrial (1987) 2%
Agriculture (1987) 94%
A new attempt at privatising the Muscat WWTE finally emerged during 2005. This time, it will be a five
to eight year operations and maintenance contract for the Oman Wastewater Services Company,
covering 630,000 people. A wide range of companies have expressed interest in the process,
including Cascal. This forms part of Oman’s plans to raise sewage treatment to 80% of the population
by 2013 and to 90% by 2017. The Government is also currently seeking to award a two year O&M
contract for the Salalah wastewater treatment facility, leading to a 20 year operations contract. The
plant will serve 134,000 people. It is intended that the Salalkah Sanitary Drainage and Services
Company will be listed on the Muscat Stock Exchange. This in time is designed to open the way for
privatising Muscat’s sewerage services.
Groundwater
Annual availability (2000) 1.0km³
Per capita 376m 3
Annual withdrawal (1990) 0.4km³
157 Pinsent Masons Water Yearbook 2005 – 2006