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[Feb, 2010] The ins and outs, and upcoming plans of Tanqia, the first privately owned wastewater collection and treatment system in the UAE as well as the Middle East. By Samantha Keck

Stepping into Tanqia's headquarters, you cannot help but be pleasantly surprised by the impeccability of its staff and office. Almost immediately you understand the reason behind it. Sami Mowaswes, CEO, Tanqia, extends a friendly, yet firm, handshake welcoming you into his office. “Tanqia means purification in Arabic,” said Mowaswes. “We want the company name to signify, not only what the company does but we hope that Tanqia will eventually come to represent wastewater treatment.”

Established as a privately owned limited liability company in 2004, Tanqia operates out of Fujairah's Free Zone. Tanqia's shareholders are Elwan Group (formerly known as ICG, Infrastructure Capital Group), Mubadala Development Company and Overseas Trading Company. “Tanqia was started by the Elwan Group. They are the major shareholders in Tanqia,” explained Mowaswes. “Elwan Group has always been involved in sustainability projects such as power and wastewater plants.”

Why Fujairah? “Because the Fujairah government needed a wastewater treatment plant,” came the simple, yet matter-of-a-fact, reply from Mowaswes. He continued, “It was a case of demand meeting supply at the right place and time.”

Operation wastewater treatment

Tanqia was granted a 33-years concession agreement by the Fujairah Municipality Mowaswes elaborated: “The first three years of the concession is for the building of the project. This was implemented in two phases. Tanqia is responsible for the operation and management of the system for the next 30 years.” Mowaswes added that during the concession period, all newly constructed properties will be connected by Tanqia by extending the pipe network.

In geographical terms, the concession area covers an approximate area of 88 square kilometres, comprising the city of Fujairah, and the towns of Qidfaa and Mirbah. The plant is located about 11 kilometres north of the city of Fujairah and about four kilometres South of Qidfaa. The wastewater collection networks in the city of Fujairah and Qidfaa consist of more than 200 kilometres of main and lateral pipelines, and pumping stations. In total, 6,000 registered connections are now linked to the system.

“In the beginning, Tanqia assumed the role of a project company, overseeing the plant and pipe network,” said Mowaswes. He further added: “Now that the treatment plant is complete, Tanqia's role is changed to that of a utility company. Tanqia provides Fujairah's residents with wastewater treatment services. The setting up of Tanqia is in compliance with a federal regulation that states that by 2010, all emirates should have their own wastewater treatment plant.”

According to Mowaswes, 90% of the population have been offered wastewater treatment services. The remaining 10% of the population would be connected to the network during the operating period. Mowaswes highlighted that the plant has a flexible, modular design that allows for increased wastewater treatment capacity by simply adding modules as needed. This flexibility to expand is of utmost importance as the population of Fujairah is projected to reach almost 120,000 by 2020.

He continued, “The concession agreement also includes periodic reviews of the tariffs paid by the public. The tariff is set based on agreement with the Fujairah and one of the main concerns about the rate is that it should be sustainable by the public.”

The business of wastewater

“At Tanqia, we treat the wastewater to a very high standard,” said Mowaswes. “We deploy technology developed by environmental engineering firm Passavant-Roediger. The wastewater that comes into our plant is treated and, now, pumped into the sea for disposal.” No doubt, the treatment plant, and hence the technology, passed the smell test with flying colours, there was hardly any foul odour in the vicinity of the plant.

Mowaswes continued: “As a utility provider, we complement the services offered by FEWA (Federal Electricity and Water Authority). We provide wastewater treatment services, on behalf of the Municipal government, to the people of Fujairah.”

Tanqia is currently studying plans for the EDN (Effluent Distribution Network) so that the TE (Treated Effluent) will be sold as a product in the near future. Mowaswes said, “Already we have numerous requests from farms and industries to get connected to the EDN. They are very interested in using TE for irrigation and other industrial uses. TE is after all cheaper than potable water. Take for example, the Fujairah port - TE can be used in the port to wash ships.” The Tanqia CEO was also positive about the use for TE for district cooling. “Just think about the money, and quantity of potable water, you can save if you channel TE into district cooling,” he stressed.

In addition to the possibility of selling TE, Mowaswes also pointed out that the sludge, collected during the process of treating the wastewater, is another revenue source. “At the moment, the sludge is separated from the wastewater, treated, dried and then sent to a landfill. We will eventually sell the treated sludge as a soil enhancer and ground fertiliser for use in aboveground agriculture and forestry.”

True to its roots of hailing from a portfolio of sustainability projects, the Tanqia wastewater treatment plant is an example of service with a green consciousness. Part of the TE that is produced at the plant is used to irrigate the greenery that constitutes the plant's landscape. “Tanqia did the landscaping,” said Mowaswes with just the slightest hint of pride. “It makes the treatment plant look and feel so much more pleasant, especially in the summer.” Mowaswes added that the methane gas produced during the treatment of sludge may in the future be channelled into power generation, producing electricity for some parts of the plant.

Will Tanqia expand its operations and venture into providing potable water from wastewater? A gentle, but firm, “No,” was the answer. “We have good water sources here, I hope we don't get to that stage where we have to produce potable water from effluent. Tanqia will remain a wastewater treatment facility. Hyflux in Singapore produces potable water from effluent but the situation in Singapore is different. There is a lack of water source in Singapore.”

Reaching out

In addition to the technology and capabilities of Tanqia's wastewater treatment facility, Mowaswes was also quick to point out the efforts Tanqia has put into its outreach programmes. “Our Public Relations manager formed a team, and they went door to door to talk to people. The team explained to people what wastewater is, what Tanqia is, and the benefits of wastewater treatment for the population as well as the environment. We also have radio programmes and open days in public parks as well as at the plant for visiting students. Tanqia plays an active role in engaging the wider public to promote wastewater treatment. We believe that social interaction with the community and social responsibilities like employing young and educated locals areis very important in order to get our message across to them. This is solely a Tanqia initiative.”

The road ahead

Mowaswes pointed out Tanqia is obligated to expand under the concession agreement. He said, “Tanqia will grow in tandem with the development of Fujairah. Our expansion is planned along the considerations of the growth of Fujairah.” Mowaswes was also confident that Tanqia will remain the only wastewater treatment provider well beyond the concession years since the network will last beyond the concession period. This would make it hard for any competition to gain a foothold in the emirate.

Mowaswes continued: “Tanqia has assumed the role of a utility company. Thus we face different challenges as compared to when we first started. Our upcoming challenges include the need to expand so that we can cope with the growth of the emirate. We also need to re-invest to serve our customers better. We are aware of such challenges and we believe we are ready for them. At Tanqia, we have state-of-the-art technology and a very advanced plant. More importantly, we believe in good services and we produce effluent of very high standard. We, at Tanqia, have always believed in the quality of our product.”

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