Musaimeer Pumping Station and Outfall
Doha, Qatar
Merit Award
Sent by: Mott MacDonald
Owner: Ashghal (Public Works Authority)
Leading design company | MEP Engineer: COWI A/S
General contractor: Hamad Binkhalid – PORN JV
Civil and structural engineer: VCE
Project management consultant: Mott MacDonald
The Musaimeer Pumping and Outfall Station is vital infrastructure in Qatar to meet the demands of its growing population and to deal with the growing problems of rising brackish groundwater and flash floods.
The $253 million project was completed in May 2023 and is capable of processing up to 19.7 million cubic meters of water per second. To construct the 10.2 km mouth tunnel, the project’s TBM encountered challenges that included mixed geological strata, karst cavities and fracture strata with direct connections to the seabed.
The limited size of the site (37 acres) and aesthetic requirements limiting the height of the structure to less than 52 feet meant that 90% of the constructed project is below ground. Power supply to the pumping station during construction was interrupted due to the COVID-19 pandemic, so the project team installed 10 MW of generators and installed an additional 3 MW of temporary power to ensure successful testing and commissioning.
Despite the complications, the project team completed the tunnel on budget and almost two months ahead of schedule.