File photo used for representation only.
The National Programme for Conservation and Energy Efficiency (Tarsheed), an initiative of Qatar General Electricity and Water Corporation (Kahramaa), has successfully raised long-term awareness of water and energy wastage across all sectors and reduced per capita consumption of electricity and water by around 18 percent.
Water demand has increased over the last ten years by an average of 10.6 percent annually. Qatar’s water security goals depend on water conservation, effective water usage and water recycling.
The information was shared in Qatar National Climate Action Plan 2030 released recently by the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change.
Kahramaa President Eng. Essa bin Hilal Al Kuwari earlier said that in 2020, Tarsheed programme reduced electricity consumption of 289 gigawatt hours (GWh), water consumption of 32 million cubic metres (m3) and natural gas consumption of 3,207 million cubic feet (MCF), representing a financial saving of QR300m.
Moreover, Qatar has also strengthened its national conservation laws, and passed laws to reduce domestic consumption and encourage adoption of water and electricity-saving technologies. An example of this is the prohibition of use of desalinated potable water for cooling and instead requires the use of treated sewage effluent or seawater as substitutes.
It has implemented improved standards for domestic and industrial electrical and electronic equipment such as air conditioners, thereby reducing electricity consumption in buildings, and also promotes development and use of large-scale centralised district cooling, with a range of energy and infrastructural cost and consumption benefits.
The Doha North Sewage Treatment Plant is the largest wastewater treatment facility in the region, and the first to include a thermal drying plant. This process significantly reduces the amount of biosolids sent to landfill and minimises drinking water waste.
From this plant, and others, Ashghal provides its customers with high-quality treated wastewater for non-potable uses, including cooling, landscape irrigation, fodder cultivation, road beautification and cleaning sand for construction, said the Qatar National Climate Action Plan 2030.
The National Development Strategy-2 prioritises efficient water management as a key adaptation measure. These measures include expanded use of treated sewage effluent and development of water management in industrial zones. In 2015, the volume of treated sewage effluent reached 98.2 percent of total wastewater.
