Sulaibiya Wastewater Treatment and Reclamation Plant, Kuwait
Key Data:
Plant type
Reverse osmosis (RO) and ultra-filtration (UF) membrane-based water purification of wastewater
Plant output
Potable quality water for non-potable uses in agriculture, industry and aquifer recharge
Input feed
375,000m³/day
Output product
311,250m³/day
Waste
63,750m³/day
Water recovery efficiency
85% (RO phase), 83% (overall)
Future expansion design potential
600,000m³/day (input feed)
Raw Wastewater Input Characteristics
Temperature
15°C to 36°C
TSS
300mg/l
TDS
1,280mg/l
BOD5
400mg/l
COD
700mg/l
Sulphates
300mg/l
H2S
66mg/l
Total N
70mg/l
Total P
15mg/l
Oil and grease
40mg/l
Product Water Characteristics (Monthly Average Value)
pH
6-9
TDS
<100mg/l
TSS
<1mg/l
BOD5
<1mg/l
NH4-N
<1mg/l
NO3-N
<1mg/l
PO4
<2mg/l
Oil and grease
<0.05mg/l
TOC
<2mg/l
Hardness as (Ca CO3)
<10mg/l
Enteric viruses
5 MPNIU/10 l
Total coliform
<2.2 colonies/100ml
Plant Details:
Disc filter elements
5 disc filters (60µm)
Ultra-filtration (UF) elements
Total membrane area 304,640m²; 68 skids with 32 pressure vessels; pore size 30nm
UF performance
Total removal of SS; log 5 removal of bacteria; log 4 removal of viruses
Reverse osmosis (RO) elements
24 first array skids;12 second array skids; six third array skids; each skid comprises 72 pressure vessels containing seven membrane modules apiece; 48 associated pumps
Diffuser array
50,000 Sanitaire Silver Series Diffusers; 2,600 Sanitaire Coarse Bubble Diffusers
Aeration, pumping and mixing system components
13 Blowers; 45 Mixers; 72 Flow boosters; 27 Recirculation pumps; >25km of air main and flooring pipes
Digester volumetric load
2.45kg/VS/m³/d
Contract type
BOT
Concession period
30 years (30 months D&B, 27.5 years O&M)
Total project cost
KD130 million ($430 million)
Loan value
$377 million
Loan period
25 years
Debt-equity
85:15
Projected revenue
>$2 billion
Winning water tariff
$0.47/m³
Project Timeline:
Tender pre-qualifications
October 1998
Tender bids submitted
April 2000
BOT contract awarded
May 2001
Financial close / service contracts signed
June 2002
Construction begun
July 2002
Aeration / pumping / mixing contract awarded
January 2003
Dynamic hydraulic analysis
March 2003 - February 2004
Pipework contracts awarded
May 2003
Construction completed
November 2004
Formal dedication ceremony
16 March 2005
First water supplied
December 2005
Key Players:
Contract administration
Kuwaiti Ministry of Public Works
Main contractors
Kharafi, Ionics, Bechtel and United Utilities
Utilities Development Company (UDC)
Kharafi Group (75%) and Ionics (25%)
Financial adviser to UDC
ABN Amro
Technical advisers and construction managers
Camp Dresser & McKee; KEO International Consultants
International legal counsel
Allen & Overy
Insurance advisers
Arab Commercial Enterprises
Finance arrangers
National Bank of Kuwait; Gulf Bank; The Bank of Kuwait and the Middle East
Facility agent
National Bank of Kuwait
Arrangers legal counsel
Shearman & Sterling; Al-Essa, Al-Bader & Partners
Insurance advisers
Willis
Financial model auditor
PKF
Design review / technical due diligence
Halcrow
Construction
Kharafi and Philipp Holzmann JVC
Plant design
ILF
RO/UF membrane treatment systems
Ionics Italba
XIGA ultra-filtration membrane technology
NORIT
Aeration, pumping and mixing system
ITT Industries
Piping and internal cement / epoxy
Xinxing Ductile Iron Pipes
Pipe couplings
Viking Johnson
Dynamic hydraulic analysis
WL Delft Hydraulics
Plant operation and maintenance
Kharifi, Ionics and United Utilities
Membrane system operation and maintenance
Ionics
