‘Conserve water for Oman’s growth’

Muscat: The Middle East Desalination and Research Centre (MEDRC) will partner with private and public institutions to ensure that water conservation programmes benefit all in the Sultanate.
On the occasion of World Water Day, MEDRC made a commitment titled ‘Leaving No One Behind’ to ensure that their water conservation plans can be easily adopted by everyone in the country, and then be shared with others overseas.
“We are proud to be strengthening partnerships here today and to be creating new ones,” said Ciarán Ó Cuinn, MEDRC Centre Director. “Through the support of our partners, MEDRC continue our work towards finding solutions to fresh water scarcity and to contributing to a more sustainable future for Oman. Water is critical for energy and agriculture, for social and economic development. Today we highlight that water lies at the core of sustainable development. It is the precious foundation for all human progress”.
Ahmed bin Saif bin Khamis Al Mazrouy, CEO, Majis added, “We are proud to be collaborating with MEDRC to deliver key water projects that will benefit the nation and its people. We will explore ways in which we can recycle water treatment membranes used in desalination and so reduce the impact of the process on the environment.”
MEDRC works closely in collaboration with many foreign governments to help understand how other nations practice water conservation techniques. Laetitia van Asch, Ambassador of the Kingdom of the Netherlands to Oman, said there was much the two countries could do to help each other.
“The theme of this year’s World Water Day is addressing the reasons why so many people are being left behind,” she said.
“Worldwide, we are facing too much, too little and polluted water. In our water cooperation with the Omani government, we are trying to find solutions to water challenges together. Last summer, the Netherlands was facing drought, and we try to learn through this partnership from the lessons from Oman. We try to include students, universities and the private sector in this cooperation and leave no one behind.”
Companies in Oman are also devising plans to help residents and citizens conserve water, and the energy that goes into purifying water to make it fit for human consumption.
Oman-based real estate company First Choice has introduced reverse osmosis (RO) filters to all of the water tanks in its apartment buildings in the Sultanate, making the country’s tap water even purer and even safer to drink.
In providing more than 10,000 people with safe drinking water, so that they do not have to go out and buy bottled water, the company is saving them money and energy. In addition, the long-term effects of this could mean less demand for bottled water, leading to less water being used, and less energy required for purifying it.
“With people starting movements and projects such as the Tap Project by UNICEF, I’m trying to do my bit for my tenants who I think of as our extended family. It is our responsibility towards them, our country and most importantly the global nation,” said Muneer Ahmed Sulaiman, Managing Director at First Choice.
“Being in this business for over two decades now and having about than 2000 families - about 10,000 people - living with us, it is my principle that when we introduce a healthier improvement or modern upgrades in our own homes such as this, I make it a point to pass this on to my tenants as well.”
He added, “Water is an essential building block of life, much more than just quenching thirst or protecting health. Today, billions of people are still living without safe water. Water that is accessible on the premises, available when needed, and free from contamination. Any publicly provided water in our regions requires essential filtering and maintenance at the tanks so that we can provide healthy, clean, softer water for all our tenants for cooking, cleaning and drinking. We at First Choice ensure that our building water tanks are being cleaned and treated at regular intervals. We are now in the process of installing multiple cartridge water filter systems in the tanks which will further purify the water before reaching our tenants. This will improve the water we use for cleaning, bathing and other external purposes. In addition, we are installing six-to-seven stage Reverse Osmosis water purification filters for domestic use to ensure the water is absolutely drinkable and safe for cooking.”