MURAD: ‘WORKS MINISTRY INVITES BIDS FOR THE B3 STORM WATER DRAINAGE NETWORK PROJECT’

Acting Sanitary Engineering Assistant Undersecretary and Sanitary Engineering Operation & Maintenance Director at the Ministry of Works, Municipalities Affairs & Urban Planning Eng. Asma Murad revealed that the Ministry has invited bids for the B3 Storm Water Drainage Network Project, which serves 16 areas in various blocks at the Capital, Northern and Southern Governorate.

Murad explained that the packs extend for 12km and comprise of 29 inspection chambers, 49 drains and 11 storm water collection tanks. The packs cover blocks 729 in Jirdab, 732, 740 and 734 in Hawrat A’Ali, 913 and 926 in Bukawara, 814, 809 and 805 in Isa Town and 604 & 609 in Sitra.

According to Murad, the project packs are considered to be a solution to the most affected areas in the rainy season, which have been determined by the Ministry in collaboration with municipal councils.

The project tender is one of the many efforts extended by the Ministry to improve infrastructure in all the Kingdom’s Governorates. Also, the Ministry seeks to find alternative solutions for storm water drainage in closed areas; such as water injection into the ground.

The Ministry previously implemented 3 storm water drainage projects in over 100 locations in Bahrain, namely pack A2, B2 and C2. The projects were implemented in collaboration with municipal councils.

‘The (former) Central Governorate was the most affected area during the rainy seasons; due to its sandy soil and the low soil permeability percentage,’ said Murad.

Murad also explained that the storm water drainage network presently covers a part of Bahrain; particularly coastal areas that have outlets to the sea, main roads and a number of new urban areas that have been connected to the network. The Ministry has prepared the complete designs for the project based on the data collected from the Meteorology Directorate; going back to 50 years, in addition to measuring the annual rain rates, which do not exceed 10-15mlm. The designs also take into account all possibilities of larger amounts of rains during the coming years and decades.