Al Karaana Lagoon project complete: Ashghal
THE Public Works Authority (Ashghal) on Saturday announced the completion of Reclamation and Rehabilitation project in Al Karaana Lagoon.
The QR450 million project aims to minimize risk of damage to the environment surrounding the lagoons, making the site a better place for wildlife, keeping the environment clean and developing green areas.
Ashghal President Eng Saad bin Ahmad al Muhannadi said, “Al Karaana Lagoon area has been transformed from a harmful environment into a healthy natural habitat and home to wildlife. We are proud of this important achievement being a new evidence of the continuous efforts made by various entities in the country, chiefly the Ministry of Municipality and Environment, to provide sustainable solutions to protect the environment and reduce the causes of pollution.”
Located 60km southwest of Doha, Al Karaana Lagoon was entirely reclaimed, from a risked area that could have caused high levels of pollution, to a healthy green space and a wildlife habitat for various bird species and fish.
The project re-established the area by draining the old lagoons and treating the contaminated soil at their bottom, using international expertise to assess the levels of pollution and treatment of all contaminated sediments directly at the site, in order to re-establish the natural area and ensure the protection of the environment.
One of the most important components of the project are the three artificial lagoons which were designed to store about 2.4 million cubic metres of treated sewage effluent coming from Al Karaana treatment plant. With clean water and green areas around them, the artificial lagoons form a new healthy habitat for wildlife, and they now include various types of birds, swans, fish, frogs and others.
The project also included the construction of two temporary evaporation ponds for industrial effluent, with a storage capacity of 1.2 million cubic metres of liquid waste.
THE ponds are protected with a strong insulating layer that prevents leakage of contaminated water into the groundwater, with oil separation units.
The evaporation ponds are operational for the last one year and will remain in use until the completion of the new industrial wastewater treatment station.
The project also used a Mobile Thermal Drying Unit, which was imported from the Netherlands, especially to treat highly contaminated soil by heating the soil up to 400 degrees Celsius. About 40,000 tonnes of sludge were treated and then moved to a landfill designed and built to the highest international standards.
The project of reclamation and rehabilitation of Karaana Lagoon was completed six months ahead of schedule, as it was planned to be completed in the mid of 2020.
The Ashghal president, French Ambassador HE Franck Gellet, ministry officials, and representatives of environmental entities attended a field trip.