Sur desalination plant renews ISO certification

In 2012, Bahwan Veolia Water was the first Independent Water Project to be certified ISO 9001 (Quality), ISO 14001 (Environment) and OHSAS 18001 (Occupational Health and Safety). Continuous improvement and team engagement has enabled the recertification of its Sur desalination plant under the new versions of the standards in 2018.

Shaikh Abdullah bin Mustahil Shammas, Governor of South Sharqiyah, presided over the ISO certification ceremony desalination plant last week.

Bahwan Veolia Water has adopted an ambitious policy for Health and Safety. In addition to the whole management system that was implemented and continuously improved since, the company has made serious efforts in the communication and training of employees and subcontractors. In 2017, more than half of the 3,000 training man-hours were dedicated to HSE, representing more than 2 days of HSE per person.

“Veolia is already firmly rooted in the Omani society, especially in Sur. of Sur Every year, several dozen of young men and women from Sharqiyah are welcomed for several weeks of training, to give them a first experience of working in the private sector. Veolia is also supporting diversity and equal opportunity of work between genders. This year, we have recruited the first Omani woman as Operator Supervisor as part of our Operations team,” said Erwan Rouxel, Veolia Contracts Representative in Oman.

“With these certificates, we are not only celebrating the Health and Safety Culture of our company, but also its commitment towards the protection of the environment, as well as the constant focus on delivering the best services possible to our clients,” stated Sébastien Chauvin, CEO of Veolia Middle-east.

Sur Desalination Plant has been in operation since October 2009, and has inaugurated its extension about two years ago. It can produce more than 131,000 m3 of potable water per day, and is the main source of fresh water for both North and South Sharqiyah. The plant uses Reverses Osmosis technology, and is pumping the seawater partially from beachwells and partially from a direct seawater intake.