The first public-private partnership to undertake a Sewage Treatment Plant Project in Qatar was signed on Sunday between the Public Works Authority (Ashghal), Al Attiya Motors & Trading Company, Metito and the direct investments group of Gulf Investment Corporation (GIC), reports Gulf Times.

The Qatar News Agency informed that the Sewage Treatment Works (STW) project will be for the population of Al Wakra and Al Wukair and will have a total cost of more than QR5.4 billion.

According to the news agency, the contract is part of the Public Works Authority (Ashghal)'s efforts to develop and implement a sustainable drainage infrastructure across the country.

The project is the first sewage treatment project to be undertaken as a public-private partnership in Qatar and the biggest-ever project to be implemented in partnership with the private sector apart from the energy industry.

The project is scheduled to begin this year and will be completed by 2026. Based on the agreement, the executing companies will operate and maintain the station for a period of 25 years. After that, the project’s operation and maintenance will move to the Public Works Authority using the same techniques.

The project will have an average initial capacity of 150,000 cubic metres per day, but it is planned to increase the plant’s capacity up to 600,000 cubic metres per day if needed in the future.