Oman unveils $29bn plan to meet water demand by 2050

Oman’s state-owned Nama Water Services (NWS) has unveiled an estimated OMR11 billion ($29 billion) capital expenditure plan to meet the country’s rising water demand up to 2050.

The investment aligns with the country’s Vision 2040 strategy and aims to support a population projected to double to 9 million over the next 25 years, the Oman Daily Observer reported, quoting a presentation by Abdulhakeem Al Dhuhli, master planning and strategic investments manager at NWS.

Under its 2025-2027 capex plan, the subsidiary of Nama Group has allocated OMR666 million, including OMR453 million for water projects and OMR213 million for wastewater infrastructure.

The investment includes more than 225 projects, comprising 113 water supply projects and 112 focused on wastewater treatment and network expansion.

The three-year plan will also add more than 8,000km of pipeline network, construct 202 reservoirs with a combined capacity of 1.8 million cubic metres and build 90 pumping stations, the report said.

In addition, the wastewater programme includes the construction of 28 sewage treatment plants and the addition of over 1,500km of network lines.

Water coverage is predicted to rise from 73 percent to 96 percent, while wastewater coverage is forecast to increase from 29 percent to 75 percent by 2040.

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The strategy also includes the option to develop projects through public-private partnerships, the report said, without giving details.

In January Oman estimated a budget deficit of OMR620 million for 2025, with spending likely to reach OMR11.8 billion, a 1.5 percent increase year on year.

Nearly OMR5 billion, or 42 percent of public spending, has been earmarked for social and basic sectors, with 39 percent allocated for education, 28 percent for social security and 24 percent for healthcare.