Suez, the French water and waste management firm, has been awarded a €2 billion ($2.28 billion) contract to operate and maintain water and wastewater services in Oman for a 15-year period, the company said in a statement announced on Monday. The agreement marks Suez's largest contract to date in the Middle East.
The contract was granted by Oman Water and Wastewater Services Company, commonly known as Nama Water Services. Suez will carry out the work together with two Omani partners - National Trading Company and National Energy Center - under the terms of the new arrangement.
The scope of the agreement covers service delivery in Muscat and the North Sharqiyah and South Sharqiyah governorates. The designated service area encompasses approximately 2.3 million residents who will receive the water and wastewater operations and maintenance managed by the consortium.
Officials announced the deal during a visit by Oman's Sultan Haitham bin Tarik to France. The announcement coincided with French President Emmanuel Macron's broader push to deepen economic links with Gulf states in areas highlighted by the French government, including infrastructure, energy, and water security.
A central objective of the project is to sharply reduce water losses in the covered networks. The plan sets a reduction target from 34% to 11% by 2040, reflecting a long-term performance goal for the operating teams.
Context and operational notes
Under the arrangement, Suez and its Omani partners are responsible for both the operational continuity of water and wastewater services across the stated governorates and for meeting the stated loss-reduction target. The contract's duration of 15 years frames the timeframe for ongoing maintenance and performance improvements across a substantial service population.
Implications for markets and sectors
The contract directly touches the utilities and infrastructure sectors through long-term service provision and targets on system efficiency. It may also be relevant to companies and markets focused on water management technologies and operational services within the region.