ACCESS T THE PRECI US DR

Since the start f Renaissance, great attenti n has been given t water res urces in the Sultanate. Acc rding t a rep rt by United Nati ns, pe ple in man have access t s me f the best clean drinking water. M re than 98.7 per cent f the p pulati n have benefited fr m safe drinking water services in 2016.

Desalinated water acc unts f r ver 86 per cent f the t tal drinking water needs and is c nsidered ne f the strategic pti ns t meet drinking water requirements. Desalinated water pr ducti n increased fr m 196 milli n cubic metres in 2011 t 311 milli n cubic metres by the end f 2018.

ther s urces f drinking water, such as wells, c ntribute by appr ximately 14 per cent.

Water c nservati n and health experts say this is an excellent achievement sh wing n the part

f the g vernment, and that this number will reach 100 per cent in the very near future.

SUSTAINABLE DEVEL PMENT Acc rding t the First V luntary Nati nal Review f the Sultanate f man 2019 prepared by the Nati nal C mmittee f r Achieving Sustainable Devel pment G als, sanitati n and hygiene services c ver m re than 98 per cent f the p pulati n in urban areas and 97 per cent in rural areas.

As f 2018, 68 wastewater treatment plants were established, pr ducing ar und 94 milli n m3/year f tertiary treated wastewater, ab ut 61 per cent f which is being used in agriculture, aesthetic aff restati n, refrigerati n, and injecti n f c astal aquifers.

Thr ugh the Nati nal Strategy f r the Use f Tertiary-treated Wastewater 2040, man seeks t expand the c nstructi n f sewage treatment plants and extend sewage netw rk lines at a c st $7 billi n, averaging $381 milli n per year.

Since 2014, wastewater has been c llected and treated, which c ntributes significantly t reducing gr undwater p lluti n and increasing f