Oman-based Ministry of Housing, Electricity & Water has awarded a USD 174 million contract to Hassan Juma Backer (HJB) for carrying out the Al Rustaq Water Supply project. This contract is understood to be biggest ever water supply scheme in the country. Work on the project, involving engineering, procurement and execution of a transmission network that will supply potable water from the Barka desalination plant to five districts – Al Rustaq, Al Awabi, Nakhal, Wadi al Maawali and Musannah – will commence soon and be completed in 22 months. The scheme will include laying 375km of pipelines and constructing 30 waterworks compounds, 17 ground reservoirs of up to 7,500sq m capacity, 27 elevated tanks of 1,500cum, 29 tanker filling stations, 17 chlorination facilities, 18 pump stations, 18 generator buildings, 5 administrative buildings and high-tension (HT)/low-tension (LT) overhead lines and substations.