Qatra, a joint venture between Sharjah Investment and Development Authority (Shurooq) and Besix Group, will officially start the work on a major water recycling plant in Sharjah’s Al Saja'a industrial area.

Set for completion in January 2020, the plant will produce 5,000 cu m of high-quality water per day for non-drinking purposes from treated effluents from the Al Saja’a Sewage Treatment Plant, said a statement from the company.

Established in 2019, Shurooq is the driving force behind Sharjah's transformation into an investment, tourism and business destination.

This water will be suitable for industrial and domestic uses such as landscaping, and will be a sustainable alternative to desalinated water with four times less energy consumed in its production process.

Executive chairman Marwan Al Sarkal said: "Effluent treatment and improving treatment processes are part of Sharjah’s strategic development, which highlights its position and aspiration to provide a research and development platform for a number of resources, products, technologies and solutions that help better the lives of residents, nationals and companies in Sharjah."

"This is in line with the UAE’s vision to build a sustainable future and use resources more optimally," he stated.

Gurvan Dersel, the general manager of Qatra, said: "There is a vital need to reuse water for non-drinking purposes to reduce the demand on borewells and desalinated water. Hence, investments such as these provide a new sustainable source of water supply for the community."

"This is the first project under the Shurooq and Besix alliance and will be followed by many like it, both in terms of wastewater treatment and water recycling," he added.-TradeArabia News Service