Dubai-based water management firm Metito has been awarded the contract to design, build, and operate a new wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) in the Dar Es Salaam region of Tanzania. The project, which is the country’s first PPP wastewater treatment plant, will be operated and maintained by Metito for three years, in partnership with the Dar es Salaam Water Supply and Sanitation Authority (DAWASA).
Capacity and Technology
The Mbezi wastewater treatment plant will have a capacity of 6,000 cubic metres per day and will be located in the Mbezi Beach area in the Kinondoni District of Dar Es Salaam. Metito has said that the plant will utilise conventional activated sludge technology and implement anaerobic digesters to produce biogas. The biogas will be used by a Combined Heat and Power (CHP) generation system to reduce electric power consumption by nearly 40% at ultimate plant capacity. The sludge anaerobic digestion process will be used in the first treatment phase to ensure the sludge is stabilised and the quality of the sludge is maintained.
Optimising Land Usage
The new wastewater treatment plant will be designed to occupy almost half of the allocated area, thereby optimising land usage and maximising savings. The project, financed by the Tanzanian Government and the World Bank, was awarded to Metito on 22 March. Construction is expected to commence in April 2023, with the commissioning date set for October 2024.
Improving Sanitation
Karim Madwar, Metito Africa Managing Director said, “We are proud to be working with Dar Es Salaam Water Supply and Sanitation Authority on this project and are looking forward to making this a benchmark to similar projects in the region.”
Acting CEO for DAWASA, Kiula Kingu, has highlighted the project’s significance in improving access to water and sanitation in Tanzania. He noted that such access could transform the economic outlook in Dar es Salaam and propel its social development and sustainable growth. The development of the Mbezi wastewater treatment plant is a significant step forward in the expansion of water and sanitation infrastructure in Tanzania.
