US embassy cable - 05KUWAIT986

UNCLAS KUWAIT 000986 
 
SIPDIS 
 
USDOC FOR 3131 AND USFCS/OIO/ANESA/TGILLMAN 
STATE FOR NEA/RA AND OES 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: BEXP, EINV, SENV, KU 
SUBJECT: OPENING OF MAJOR BOT WASTEWATER TREATMENT AND 
RECLAMATION PLANT IN KUWAIT 
 
 
1. AMBASSADOR AND FCS COMMERCIAL SPECIALIST ATTENDED THE 
CEREMONY ON MARCH 8, 2005 TO COMMISSION THE SULAIBIYA 
WASTEWATER TREATMENT AND RECLAMATION PLANT.  KUWAITI PRIME 
MINISTER SHEIKH SABAH AL AHMED AL JABER AL SABAH AND VIRTUALLY 
THE ENTIRE CABINET WAS ON HAND FOR THE FORMAL OPENING OF THIS 
HUGE AND INNOVATIVE WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT.  THIS IS THE 
FIRST MAJOR B.O.T. PROJECT IN KUWAIT AND THE LARGEST IN THE 
WORLD USING THE REVERSE OSMOSIS (RO) TECHNIQUE IN DOMESTIC 
WASTEWATER RECLAMATION. 
 
2.  THE PROJECT IS THE FIRST AND LARGEST BUILD-OPERATE- 
TRANSFER (BOT) WASTEWTER TREATMENT AND RECLAMATION PLANT IN 
KUWAIT.  THE PROJECT, WHICH COST ABOUT US$ 400 MILLION, WILL 
INITIALLY TREAT ABOUT 375,000 CUBIC METERS OF RAW DOMESTIC 
WASTEWATER PER DAY AND WILL EVENTUALLY REACH UP TO 600,000 
CUBIC METERS PER DAY DURING THE 30-YEAR CONCESSION PERIOD. 
THE PROJECT INCLUDES THE PRELIMINARY TREATMENT AND PUMPING 
STATION AT ARDIYA, THE TRANSFER PIPELINES FROM ARDIYA TO 
SULAIBIYA AND THE TREATMENT AND RECLAMATION PLANT AT 
SULAIBIYA.  MOST OF TREATMENT AND RECLAMATION PROCESSES IN THE 
VARIOUS PLANTS' FACILITIES ARE FULLY AUTOMATED AND USE THE 
LATEST STATE-OF-THE ART COMPUTER AND CONTROL SYSTEMS. 
 
3.  THE GOVERNMENT OF KUWAIT WILL BUY ALL RECLAIMED WATER, 
WHICH WILL BE USED FOR AGRICULTURAL AND INDUSTRIAL 
APPLICATIONS, GARDENING, CAR AND BUILDING WASHING. IT WILL NOT 
HOWEVER BE USED AS POTABLE WATER THOUGH IT COMPLIES WITH WORLD 
HEALTH ORGANIZATION (WHO)STANDARDS. 
 
4.  THE U.S. COMPANY IONICS INC. (WATERTOWN, MA) IS THE 
INTERNATIONAL PARTNER WITH THE LOCAL MOHAMMED A. AL KHARAFI 
AND SONS GROUP. (IONICS WAS RECENTLY ACQUIRED BY GENERAL 
ELECTRIC.)  IONICS AND KHARAFI AND SONS ESTABLISHED THE 
UTILITIES DEVELOPMENT COMPANY (UDC) TO EXECUTE THE PROJECT. 
IONICS' PARTICIPATION IN THIS PROJECT IS THE SECOND LARGEST 
PRIVATE AMERICAN INVESTMENT IN KUWAIT AFTER DOW CHEMICAL'S 
PARTICIPATION IN THE EQUATE I PETROCHEMICAL PROJECT. IONICS 
PROVIDED THE REVERSE OSMOSIS TECHNOLOGY USED FOR THE PLANT AND 
IS ALSO INVOLVED IN OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE THROUGH A 
SUBSIDIARY CALLED ITALBA, WHICH IS SPECIALIZED IN ULTRA- 
FILTRATION AND R.O. TECHNIQUES. 
 
LEBARON