Qatar’s first water reuse facility could save up to 15,000 cubic metres a day

Katara Cultural Village is benefitting from the first water reuse facility in Qatar, which is helping to reduce the reliance on fresh water. The facility is a collaboration between Veolia Water Technologies Qatar and Katara Project.

Reusing water via treated sewage effluent

Katara is a cultural and commercial complex on the east coast of Doha, Qatar, featuring museums, an opera house, a cinema, conference hall, open-air amphitheatre, a beach, and more, as such it is a haven for tourists.

A Treated Sewage Effluent (TSE) Polishing Plant will recover between 5,000 to 15,000 cubic meters per day by efficiently converting treated sewage effluent into high-quality demineralized water. This water is suitable for use in both irrigation and the district's cooling towers. Previously, fresh water would have come from desalinated sea or brackish water.

The plant is the first of its kind in the region and was designed to optimise both the space and power supply constraints within the Katara Energy Centre, helping to reduce costs – now 1 QAR compared to 9 QAR per cubic meter; the power needed for water production has been reduced by 20 per cent.

Veolia Water Technologies Qatar will provide ongoing supervision of the operation and maintenance of the plant.

Meeting Qatar's 2030 environmental goals

The project is contributing to fulfilling the environmental development goals for Qatar's National Vision 2030 strategy. These goals aim to conserve fresh water and promote sustainable water use. The region faces many water challenges and althogh this project is the first of its kind, other Emirates are also taking water reuse serioulsy. For example, Abu Dhabi introduced a Water Recycling Policy in 2019.

It also aligns with Veolia's GreenUp strategic program, which aims to help countries and regions adapt to climate change.

Thierry Froment, CEO of Veolia Water Technologies Middle East told media: "This project not only conserves the precious freshwater, but also exemplifies the sustainable water use in the city. By transforming treated sewage into high quality water for irrigation and cooling, we are pioneering a new standard resource management efficiency and sustainability for the region."

Mohammed AL Meer, director general of Katara Project added: "The launch of the Treated Sewage Effluent Polishing Plant is a groundbreaking achievement and a testament to our dedication to environmental sustainability. This project and collaboration with VWT Qatar allowed us to reduce our freshwater consumption and align this progress with Qatar National Vision 2030. By utilizing treated sewage for irrigation and cooling, we are not only preserving vital natural resources, but also setting a new benchmark for sustainable practices in cultural and touristic destinations."