Through a joint venture Engicon oversees a major sanitation infrastructure for one of Muscat's fastest-growing districts

Bausher is a bustling province in northeastern Muscat, Oman. It blends ancient historical sites with cutting-edge infrastructure, becoming one of Oman's fastest-developing economic hubs. Today, it’s attracting new residential towers, commercial complexes, and businesses at an unprecedented pace.

This rapid growth has required infrastructural upgrades, including laying a sanitation network offering a capacity that can serve generations to come. 

The Contract



For this upgrade requirement, the Nama Water Services, a state-owned utility managing wastewater across Oman, has commissioned an ambitious OMR 123 million (≈ US$320 million) program for Bausher. 

A major component in the current phase includes contracts B7A and B7D, valued at a total of OMR 46.78 million (≈ US$121.7 million), with the remaining program budget allocated to future treatment plant infrastructure and system-wide upgrades. 

Engicon’s role is supervising both packages, as part of a joint venture with Ibn Khaldun Al Madaen Engineering Consultants (IKAM), a Omani architectural and civil engineering consultancy.

Across five distinct project zones, the work represents critical infrastructure for 60,000 future beneficiaries as well as Bausher’s growth population trajectory.



The Engineering Challenge

Contract B7D encompasses approximately 75 kilometers of gravity sewers and another 103 kilometers of house connections, a web of underground infrastructure with 1,100 manholes and 9,000 property chambers. Each connection point must function flawlessly within a system designed for decades of service.

The technical challenges are significant. Construction crews work in live urban areas, coordinating with municipal authorities while managing traffic disruptions. In wadi zones, low-lying channels that carry seasonal floodwater, standard manholes won't survive. 

The supplied supervision mandate requires ensuring contractors implement specialized protection measures: reinforced chambers and scour-resistant designs that withstand hydrodynamic forces that most urban networks never encounter.

Contract B7A presents a different complexity. It’s a modern pumping station serving as the network's technological nerve center. Its four vertical mixed-flow pumps move 385 liters per second each against a 55-meter head, backed by surge protection, screening systems, and odor control. 

The electrical infrastructure coordinates 11kV supply systems, variable frequency drives, and backup generators. But it's the PLC-SCADA automation layer that transforms this from simple pumping to smart infrastructure, providing real-time operational intelligence integrated with Nama's central monitoring network.

For the supervision team, this convergence of mechanical, electrical, instrumentation, and automation systems demands multidisciplinary expertise. It's precisely the environment where Engicon's 600 employees and regional track record in major water projects adds value.



What Supervision Actually Means

To most people, construction supervision often sounds like quality assurance with clipboards. In practice, however, it's the engineering layer that effectively translates design intent into built reality, while managing the thousand variables that emerge during construction.

When contractors encounter unexpected subsurface conditions, supervision engineers assess impacts and recommend solutions. When equipment specifications need field verification, supervision ensures compliance with international standards. When schedule pressures tempt shortcuts, supervision enforces the quality standards that determine whether infrastructure lasts 30 years or 50.

For B7A and B7D, this includes verifying that ductile iron pipes meet durability specifications, confirming that thrust blocks and air-release valves are correctly positioned, validating PLC-SCADA integration, and documenting compliance at every stage for future operations.

To be sure, it’s meticulous work. It's also the difference between infrastructure that performs as designed and systems that underdeliver from day one.

The Bigger Picture

The Bausher projects are a critical part of Oman's larger national infrastructure ambition. Nama manages wastewater services for over 937,000 subscribers, with a goal of 72.8% network coverage nationally and an announced investment of over OMR 700 million (≈ US$1.82 billion) for 27 projects nationwide.

For Bausher, this forward planning is essential: the region's explosive residential and commercial growth becomes unsustainable without expanded wastewater capacity. 

The overall OMR 123 million (≈ US$320 million) Bausher investment, spanning 311 kilometers of sewage networks and 34 kilometers of potable water lines, is a strategic move designed to support decades of development.

Looking Ahead

As contracts B7A and B7D continue in progress toward their 2028 completion, the visible work of excavation and pipe installation continues alongside the less visible but crucial work of engineering supervision. This diligent oversight ensures every connection meets specifications and every system integrates properly, guaranteeing the long-term functionality required by international standards. 

When complete, the legacy left will be the quiet functionality that supports Bausher's future. The reliable sanitation systems built will underpin community health, stabilize property values, and ensure that explosive residential and commercial expansion is a seamless event. The very growth that necessitated this upgrade can then continue sustainably for generations to come.