MORE than 240,000 properties across Bahrain have been connected to the national sewage network, a top ministry official revealed yesterday.

This accounts for 87 per cent of existing real estate across all the four governorates, said Works, Municipalities Affairs and Urban Planning Ministry’s sanitation under-secretary Fathi Al Fare’a.

He added that work continues to get other blocks connected to the network.

“The ministry has achieved a connection rate of more than 87pc to the integrated sewage network,” he said in a statement.

“We are proceeding with the implementation of sewage network as there are several projects underway including Block 557 in Budaiya which will serve 42 houses and Block 231 in Al Dair which will serve 21 housing units

That is in addition to the construction of a new network in Sitra’s Block 609 which will commence once a tender is awarded while a tender has been confirmed for the sewage network construction in Block 424 in Jidhafs.

Mr Al Fare’a said that there are several projects currently in the tendering phase which include constructing a network in Busaiteen Block 228 to serve multi-story commercial and apartment buildings and several housing units as well as connecting the King Hamad Grand Mosque to the network.

A new project – to connect Hamad Town Block 1205 – to the network will be added to the tender board soon and it aims to serve 79 properties.

The official reaffirmed the ministry’s keenness to keep pace with urban expansion and investment development in Bahrain.

He added that care is also being taken to ensure public health by diverting wastewater into the sewage network instead of septic tanks.

“As part of these efforts, 706 connections to the existing sewage network across all four governorates were built last year,” added Mr Al Fare’a.

The procedure to submit a request to connect to sewage networks is available online (www.works.gov.bh) for individuals, private sector institutions, government agencies and civil organisations wishing to connect residential, commercial, and industrial buildings to the network.