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Water-stressed areas receive clean water this World Water Day

  • To support the theme of this year’s World Water Day “Leaving no one behind”, Metito collaborates with Planet Water Foundation to serve daily water needs in the Palghar district in India through innovative technologies
  • Nearly 663 million people lack access to an improved water source and this number is expected to increase

UAE, 22 March 2019: According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), half of the world’s population will be living in water-stressed areas by 2025. This World Water Day, Metito and Planet Water Foundation are bridging the gap between water supply and demand by improving existing water sources in the communities.

The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and WHO reported that nearly 663 million people lack access to an improved water source. The situation is expected to deteriorate further as a result of rising populations, urbanisation and industrialisation, and more importantly, the lack of sufficient knowledge among consumers about water scarcity, the importance of safe water access and the prospects of conflicts pertaining to water security.

By driving fundamental changes through sustainable projects across water-stressed markets and its community engagement programmes, Metito strives to positively impact on this impending scenario with effective knowledge transfer on water preservation, responsible consumption and wastewater recycling and reuse.

Metito has extended its partnership with Planet Water Foundation, a leading non-profit organisation that addresses global water poverty by delivering clean water access and hygiene education programmes, to construct and deploy an AquaTower, a drinking water filtration system, in the Palghar district in India.

Planet Water Foundation’s AquaTower is a sustainable source water filtration solution that secures access to clean water, helping the community by improving health, increasing educational opportunities through higher rates of school attendance, and transforming the lives of women and girls, who often dedicate several hours a day to collecting water.

“Individuals and organisations must play their role if we want to evoke positive change in the world water balance. We believe that knowledge sharing is the most critical aspect of it all. By deploying our resources – technological, intellectual and practical experience – we can bring about more sustainable solutions and secure water where it is needed. We must also educate and tap into the youth’s curiosity, unrestricted thinking space and ability to bring about effective change. Project 24 led by the non-profit organisation Planet Water Foundation checks all these boxes for us,” commented Mutaz Ghandour, Chairman and CEO at Metito.

While the greater Palghar area is a growing and more modern city by most standards in India, the rural communities have small-scale industries to drive their economies. Every village, or taluka, has a river or well acting as the primary water source, with villagers and children traveling approximately half a kilometer to collect water.

Bathing and defecation are performed outside due to a lack of proper plumbing and hygiene practices, making uncovered wells susceptible to overflow with waste and therefore unfit for human consumption. The lack of hygiene education is also demonstrated by families using unsanitary containers for purposes other than drinking water at home.

“Following our project last year in Indonesia, we are more than equipped to change the lives of many more in another area of need – this year, it will be the Palghar District in India. This continued initiative reinforces both our and Metito’s commitment to ending global water poverty and to supporting organisations who share the same vision of bridging the gap between depleting natural water supply and the increasing demand for clean and safe water,” said Mark Steele, Founder and Chief Executive Officer at Planet Water Foundation.

In 2018, Metito successfully deployed a similar project with Planet Water Foundation securing 30 volunteering hours, transferring water-health and hygiene knowledge to 16 teachers, reaching over 350 school children and over a thousand beneficiaries in Lombok Island, West Nusa Tenggara Province in Indonesia.

Elsewhere in the world, Metito continues to promote the importance of information dissemination and knowledge transfer on water scarcity, water preservation, safety and security. Primarily targeting school and university aged children, Metito hosts workshops, presentations and site visits where students are introduced to latest water statistics and the concept of water recycling and reuse, challenging the youth to improve the water situation in their country and worldwide and change their water consumption lifestyle.

Paving the path for a future with increased water security, Metito has been at the forefront of creating sustainable iconic projects in Africa and the Middle East including: AlGalalah mega seawater reverse osmosis desalination plant project, the largest plant of its type in Egypt, built on 60,000m2 with a capacity of 150,000 m3/day and serving 1M residents and industries; the first Independent Sewage Treatment Plant Project in West Dammam in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia; and Kigali Bulk Surface Water concession, the first project of its type in sub-Saharan Africa, securing potable water needs for Kigali and other towns.

Saudi Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture signs contract for the first independent sewage treatment plant project (ISTP) in the Kingdom

The project has a designed capacity of 350 thousand cubic meters per day

HE Minister of Environment, Water and Agriculture, Chairman of the Water and Electricity Company, Chairman of the Supervisory Committee for Privatization in the Environment, Water and Agriculture Sectors – Eng. Abdulrahman Al Fadley  signed a Sewage Treatment Agreement (STA) for the development of the new wastewater treatment plant in Dammam. The plant has a designed capacity of 350,000 cubic meters per day and an initial capacity of 200,000 cubic meters per day and will serve the western region of Dammam. The project is the first independent sewage treatment plant project (ISTP) to be tendered to investors under a Build- Own- Operate-Transfer (BOOT) model and was awarded to the consortium led by the Metito Group and comprising the companies; “Metito”, “Mowah”, and “Orascom Construction”.

HE Eng. Al Fadley explained that signing this agreement is an integral part of the plan set by the Ministry to tender similar projects to the investors in different regions across the Kingdom. This is in line with the Kingdom’s “Vision 2030” and the wider initiatives approved by the Cabinet of Ministers to further encourage private sector participation in economic development initiatives.

Al Fadley pointed out that the project aims to upgrade services, make them more sustainable and increase capital spending efficiency by making the best use of the private sector experience in the environment, water and agricultural sectors.

H.E. Turki Abdulaziz Al Hokail, CEO of National Center for Privatization and PPP, elaborated on this point explaining how the center contributes to supporting and enabling the privatization program in the Kingdom to develop and to efficiently operate public-private partnerships projects. This initiative is the second privatization initiative in the water sector signed in less than a month and the center is currently working closely with the Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture, to complete other similar projects.

Mr.Khaled bin Zwaid AlQureshi, Chief Executive Officer Water and Electricity Company, said:  “The project will benefit the residents in West Dammam area with a designed capacity of 350,000 cubic meters per day, utilizing the MBBR technology”. “The project is expected to begin operation in February 2022 and that deciding to develop the project under an STA is aimed at securing more benefits, making the project more sustainable and eco-friendly through the use of innovative technological solutions able to reduce odors and noise and that will significantly cut electricity consumption”, added Mr. Khaled AlQureshi.

Mutaz Ghandour, Metito Group Chairman and CEO commented: “Major infrastructure developments are taking place in the Kingdom. The Dammam ISTP is a true landmark being the first of its kind to be developed under this progressive and visionary leadership and we are very proud that the Consortium led by Metito has been awarded a project of this size and importance in one of the most dynamic markets in the world and a key market for Metito”.

He also added: “We look forward to working with our partners to develop this project. We are confident that it will serve as a model for other similar projects in the Kingdom and further afield.”

Sami Alrayes, Mowah Chairman and CEO said: “We are proud that Metito / Mowah / Orascom Consortium has been awarded the first Independent Sewage Treatment Plant Project (ISTP) in Saudi Arabia, West Dammam by Water and Electricity Company (WEC). The objective of the privatization projects is to achieve 2030 Vision targets by boosting service level, improving capital, spending efficiency and to benefit from private sector experience and participation in finance and investment.”

Also, commenting on this agreement, Osama Bishai, CEO of Orascom Construction said: ” This project is a continuation of our efforts to build a solid portfolio of water-related construction projects similar to what we have achieved in power generation.”

Mutaz Ghandour accepts IDA Honorary Council membership invitation

  • The council is aimed at leveraging the knowledge, experience and volunteerism of all its honorary members to boost advocacy for desalination and advanced water treatment solutions

The Board of Directors of the International Desalination Association (IDA) invited Mutaz Ghandour, Metito Chairman and CEO, to become a member of the IDA Honorary Council and an IDA Ambassador in recognition of his extensive industry expertise, outstanding contribution to the water sector and for his service to the IDA over the years.

The aim of this Council is to leverage the wealth of knowledge and experience that resides with its members to fulfil the IDA’s mission around the world and its commitment to encourage research, promote and exchange communication, disseminate information, and support education in the field of desalination and water sciences.

“Among IDA’s great strengths are the commitment of its membership to serve the Association and the depth of their industry experience and knowledge. The IDA Honorary Council is recognition of notable individuals who have devoted their time to the Association and who have distinguished themselves in the field of desalination and advanced water treatment solutions. They bring an extraordinary level of longstanding insight of the global industry. Through the support of the Honorary Council members, who will act as ambassadors for the Association, IDA will intensify the engagement with the world’s policymakers to help ensure sustainable solutions to growing water scarcity challenges,” said Shannon McCarthy, IDA Secretary General.

IDA is a non-profit association and associated with the United Nations as part of a growing international network of non-governmental organizations (NGOs). The IDA Honorary Council will be balanced by regional representation from five regions: Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean, Middle East and Africa, North America, Pacific and Asia.

Commenting on this invitation Mutaz Ghandour said, “It is an honour to accept this expression of confidence and invitation from the IDA, an organization that Metito has supported throughout the years and which I believe is an excellent platform to exchange ideas and come up with new ones”.

“There is a lot more that can be done and I am confident that with the new IDA leaders more can be achieved especially through integrating with other organizations to widen the reach and exposure of its mission and the critical knowledge its expertise have to share.  Water scarcity is not an industry issue but an issue of general and global importance and I hope the IDA Honorary Council can add shared value on this front’, Mutaz added.

In 2017, Mutaz was also appointed Goodwill Ambassador to The UN Intergovernmental Institution for Combating Malnutrition, a Permanent International Observer to The United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC). Mutaz was also named the Water’s Longest-Serving Chief Executive in the Global Water Business by Global Water Intelligence (GWI).

Kigali Bulk Water Supply PPP Project Wins Big At The Partnerships Awards 2018

The Kigali Bulk Water Supply PPP project strikes again adding two coveted titles to its portfolio of awards. The project was awarded the ‘BEST UTILITIES PROJECT’ and the ‘GRAND PRIX’ award at the Partnerships Awards 2018 ceremony in London earlier this month.

The Partnerships Awards recognize and reward the best in PPPs and the Kigali Bulk Water Supply PPP project stood out for its trailblazing nature and ability to act as a standard bearer for the PPP industry across emerging markets. The judges felt the project is encouraging investors into both new sectors and new parts of the world, as well as recognized the high impact that the project has had on its community.

For more information about the awards and the winners please visit this link: https://edition.pagesuite-professional.co.uk/launch.aspx?pbid=6f2c95fd-768f-4d1e-95ce-7c2b9a37c903

Metito wins ‘Water Deal of the Year’ and ‘Desalination Company of the Year – Distinction’ at the prestigious Global Water Awards 2018

Metito is the proud winner of the ‘Water Deal of the Year’ and a distinction award recipient for the ‘Desalination Company of the Year’ as announced at the 2018 Global Water Awards* ceremony, part of the Global Water Summit 2018, that took place at the Pavillon d’Armenonville in Paris, France.

Rami Ghandour, Metito Managing Director, received the coveted awards at the ceremony. Metito was the only company to receive two awards at this prestigious event.

“We are honored to receive such important global water awards and proud to be playing an active role in empowering communities around the world through developing strategic water projects and pioneering business models that enable such capital intensive projects to be executed.”, commented Rami Ghandour.

Metito won the ‘Water Deal of the Year’, for making the biggest contribution to the advancement of private sector participation in the international water sector, for the Kigali Bulk Water Supply Project, the First Bulk Surface Water Supply project in Sub Saharan Africa, procured through public-private partnership (PPP). Awarded in 2014 after an international competitive bid and financial close was achieved in November 2017, the project will secure 40M litres/day of safe and clean water covering 40% of Kigali’s water needs and Improve quality of service for over one million people in the community.

Metito also won a Distinction Award as the ‘Desalination Company of the Year’ for spearheading the genesis of mass desalination in Egypt last year, building the country’s largest ever plant at Al Yosr, while securing contracts to supply the country’s next two large-scale installations. With desal being leant on to future-proof Egypt’s water security and avert a diplomatic crisis with its Nile neighbors, Metito’s success has a positive political impact far beyond the field of water supply. The company is bending the boundaries of the water-energy nexus, pushing an innovative solar-driven SWRO design at the King Abdullah Economic City in Saudi Arabia that promises to free utilities from the burden of grid-constrained energy when considering desalination as an option. Metito also completed a reverse osmosis plant to polish treated sewage effluent in Doha, Qatar, and a unique BWRO/SWRO facility serving the power industry in Burullus, Egypt, demonstrate a company equally at ease with the complexities of industrial water as with serving resource-constrained residential communities.

Metito reinforces access to clean drinking water as a universal human right on World Water Day

– Metito highlights how small efforts in extending water reach can make a big difference and change lives for the better 

– Creating awareness about water scarcity and developing sustainable water solutions and projects across the world highlight Metito’s commitment to bridging the gap between water supply and demand        

22 March 2018: As part of its ongoing commitment to bridge the gap between depleting natural water supply and the increasing demand for clean and safe water, Metito, the global provider of intelligent water management solutions, calls to reinforce access to clean drinking water as a universal human right amidst extreme climate change unravelling an even more challenging global water scenario.

With 60 years of experience, Metito is at the forefront of the water and wastewater industry with an impressive project portfolio that includes over 3000 projects most of which are in the most arid regions in the world. In celebration of World Water Day 2018, Metito is highlighting how companies must lead by example and play an active role in spearheading knowledge transfer about water scarcity, mindful water use and wastewater recycling and reuse.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), half of the world’s population will be living in water-stressed areas by 2025. The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and WHO reported that almost 663 million people lack access to an improved water source. These numbers can get worse with rising populations, urbanization and industrialization and with lack of sufficient knowledge among consumers about water scarcity, the importance of safe water access and the prospects of conflicts pertaining to water security.

This year, in the lead up to World Water Day, Metito continues to promote the importance of information dissemination and knowledge transfer on water scarcity, water safety and security as part of its CSR program which primarily targets school and university students. Through this program, Metito hosts workshops, presentations and site visits where students are introduced to the latest water statistics and the concept of water recycling and reuse, challenging youth to improve the water situation in their country of residence and around the world, by changing their personal water consumption habits.

“With this year’s theme ‘Nature for Water’, World Water Day emphasizes nature’s full capacity to solve existing water challenges in the 21st century but for this to happen in a sustainable manner, we must all play an active part to positively influence each other through knowledge sharing. We believe that knowledge is the most effective driver able to bring about positive change. Tapping into the youth, their unrestricted thinking space and fresh energy, is the focal point to our CSR agenda,” commented Mutaz Ghandour, Chairman and CEO at Metito.

Metito also partnered with Planet Water Foundation, a leading non-profit organization that addresses global water poverty by delivering clean water access and hygiene education programs, to construct and deploy a clean water filtration system, or AquaTower, in Montong Tangi, Indonesia. Metito employee volunteers from Jakarta will join the team at Montong Tangi, a rural village located on the island of Lombok, Indonesia, where contaminated wells pose challenges among the community members in terms of drinking water conditions and healthy lifestyle.

“We are very honored to be partnering with Metito on this very important World Water Day program in Indonesia,” said Nick Hill, Executive Chairman of Planet Water Foundation. “Metito is a valued contributor to our Project 24 alliance of organizations that share a commitment to ending global water poverty.”

Correspondently in the GCC, Metito most recently organized educational trips for students and teachers from Dubai’s Nord Anglia School, Hartland International School and India’s SIES College-Mumbai, showcasing the GCC’s first wastewater concession at Dubai Investment Park (DIP) as an exemplar project for water recycling and reuse. Metito also conducted a ‘Bring Your Kids to DIP’ special event for its employees to further promote the concept among its employee ambassadors and their families.

On the business front, Metito has also spearheaded sustainable iconic projects in Africa and the GCC including: the first Bulk Surface Water Supply Facility in Sub Saharan Africa, through public-private partnership, allowing the off-taker, Water and Sanitation Corporation, to secure potable water needs for Kigali and other towns; and King Abdullah Economic City seawater desalination mega plant partially powered by solar energy; Al Yosr, the largest desalination plant in Egypt serving potable water to over 500,000 residents; the treated sewage effluent, recycling and reuse wastewater plant to produce feed water for district cooling to serve Burj Khalifa and makeup water for the world’s largest choreographed fountain, the Dubai Fountain.

– Ends-

About Metito:

With a mission to sustain the world’s water resources, Metito provides effective water management and treatment systems that can reconcile the ever growing water demand and the dwindling natural resources. Committed to a cleaner environment, Metito endeavours to utilise its world-class global knowhow to provide millions of people across the globe access to clean and safe water.

Metito is at the forefront of the water and wastewater industry with an impressive project portfolio that includes more than 3000 projects in more than 46 countries worldwide through its strategically located offices with over 2500 experienced employees. For more information please visit metito.com

Metito:
Reem Saleh         
Reem.Saleh@localhost

Rami Ghandour in the Top 25 Global Water Leaders listing

Rami Ghandour, Metito Managing Director, among the Water & Wastewater International (WWi) ‘Top 25 Global Water Leaders’ list. Click here to see the full list: http://www.waterworld.com/articles/wwi/print/volume-32/issue-7/headline/leader-focus/top-25-global-water-leaders.html

The Top 25 Global Water Leaders initiative is now in its fourth year and to build the list if nominees, the organisation take nominations from an Advisory Board, made up of independent industry experts. The shortlisted executives are then listed and another round of voting by the WWi magazine readers is then initiated.  For this year following are the members of the Advisory Board:

  • Paul O’Callaghan, CEO, Bluetech Research, Ireland
  • Andrew Walker, Founder, BlueGold Marketing, Germany
  •  Leon Awerbuch, Leading Edge Technologies, US
  •  Natasha Wiseman, managing director, WiseonWater, UK
  •  Angela Godwin, Chief Editor, WaterWorld, US
  •  Keith Hays, Co-Founder, Bluefield Research, Spain
  •  David Lloyd Owen, managing director, Envisager, UK
  •  Graeme Pearce, Principal, Membrane Consultancy Associates, UK

The Government of Rwanda and Metito Announce the Financial Close of the First Bulk Surface Water Supply PPP Project in Sub-Saharan Africa

  • The plant will provide 40 million litres a day of fresh and clean water, thereby 40% of the Kigali city’s potable water requirements.
  • A milestone in Rwanda’s progressive vision to build an economic, prosperous and first class developed country.
  • Secured and sustainable water supply will have a huge impact on the socio-economy of the country.

November 2017: the Government of Rwanda and Metito have today announced the Financial Close of the first competitively tendered Build Operate Transfer (BOT) Water Concession in Sub-Saharan Africa (outside of South Africa). The finalisation of this Public Private Partnership (PPP) agreement spells the start of execution of the highly-anticipated Kigali Bulk Water Supply Project with construction forecasted to last 30 months from the commencement date.

The Kigali Bulk Water Supply Project will be located in Kanzenze, in the South Eastern part of Kigali. The Project will provide 40 million litres per day of fresh, clean and safe water to the residents of Rwanda’s Capital city to serve domestic, commercial and industrial end users. The treated water will be extracted from the south bank of the Nyabarongo River and will supplement existing water supplies in a strategic move to meet Kigali’s growing water demands – a city with a population of over one million residents.

This iconic project is being developed by Kigali Water Limited (KWL), a fully owned subsidiary of Metito, a global provider for intelligent water management solutions with 60 years of experience developing and managing water facilities across the world covering four continents. KWL will design, build, maintain and operate the treatment plant and will then sell potable water to the Water & Sanitation Corporation of Rwanda (WASAC) under a 27- year PPP Agreement.

The Emerging Africa Infrastructure Fund (EAIF), a member of the Private Infrastructure Development Group (PIDG), is the mandated Lead Arranger of the financing of this project which is worth US$60.8 million. EAIF and The African Development Bank (AFDB) are covering US$40.6 million of the capital cost of the project; US$38 million of Senior Debt and US$2.6 million of Junior Debt with all loans on 18-year terms. The balance will be provided by Metito as equity finance. The Kigali Bulk Surface Water Supply PPP project also benefits from a US$6.25 million grant from PIDG’s Technical Assistance Facility (TAF).

The Kigali Bulk Water Supply Project was awarded to Metito through an international and competitive tender process, and the completion of its financing marks a historic moment and a milestone in Rwanda’s progressive vision to build an economic, prosperous and first class developed country. The successful Financial Close of a project of this size also highlights the effective partnership between the public and private sectors and is a landmark project that will pave the way to other similar capital intensive projects in Africa and a catalyst that can enhance the international investor community’s appetite to invest in Rwanda.

David White, Chairman of the Emerging Africa Infrastructure Fund says, “The conclusion of the financing is tremendous news for Rwanda. Fresh, clean water has a fundamental role to play in economic development and water-dependent businesses like hotels, food processing and leisure, will have greater confidence in investing in Kigali. The financing exercise has been a model of cooperation between EAIF, the AFDB, the Government of Rwanda, and Metito.”

Mutaz Ghandour, Metito Chairman and CEO, said, “The Kigali Bulk Surface Water Supply PPP project puts Rwanda on the map for the international investor community and marks a historic moment for Rwanda. Together, today, we are setting a precedent not only for Rwanda, but for the whole of Sub-Saharan Africa, and surely for Metito. Once complete, this will become an exemplar project for PPPs in the region – there is no doubt – so today, we must all celebrate alongside the People of Rwanda.

He added, “Africa has huge potential and we expect this to continue as critical infrastructure develops around the provision of key utilities. To undertake such capital intensive infrastructure projects, the PPP scheme remains to be the best, and sometimes unavoidable, formula, and Metito acknowledges this. Our global growth strategy aims at expanding our presence in Africa, and augmenting Metito’s well established and tested operations in North, West and now East Africa, and this remarkable project here in Kigali is in line with this strategy. The diligence and effort put into the structuring of the project and towards reaching Financial Close is outstanding, and we look forward to working with our partners on this project and other similar opportunities in Rwanda and the region. We are honored to be part of this.”

[ENDS]
For further information, please contact:
Metito
Reem Saleh +971506280031
reem.saleh@localhost

About Metito
Metito is the leader and provider of choice for total intelligent water management solutions in the emerging markets with operations covering three business areas: design and build, specialty chemicals, and utilities. With 60 years of experience, the group provides customized, comprehensive and advanced solutions across the full spectrum of its industry; from clean to dirty water; desalination and re-use; industrial solutions (up to hyper pure water); investing into water and wastewater assets; and structuring both Greenfield and Brownfield schemes under project finance structures. With a mission to sustain the world’s water resources, Metito provides effective water management and treatment systems that can reconcile the ever growing water demand and the dwindling natural resources. Committed to a cleaner environment, Metito endeavours to utilise its world-class global knowhow to provide millions of people across the globe access to clean and safe water. Metito is at the forefront of the water and wastewater industry with an impressive project portfolio that includes more than 3000 projects in in more than 45 countries worldwide through its strategically located operational offices and over 2500 experienced and talented employees.

metito.com