Al-Mushaan: Restarting the Mushref Station

Public Works Minister Dr. Noura Al-Mashaan commended the efforts of the joint government team formed to handle the emergency at the Mishref pumping station, which went out of service last January. Al-Mashaan honored the team at the ministry building, in recognition of the efforts exerted by all participating government entities in managing the station and completing the works to restart it and return it to service. During the ceremony, a presentation was given outlining all stages undertaken since the initial breakdown, including maintenance, operation, and the full return to service.

For his part, Director General of Sanitary Engineering at the ministry Eng. Anwar Al-Balushi told journalists on the sidelines of the ceremony: “The principles adhered to from the start of work to address the Mishref pumping station crisis were centered on safeguarding the areas covered by the station, which have a high population density. The station serves 14 residential areas, including Salmiya, Hawalli, Rumaythiya, Salwa, Jabriya, and Sabah Al-Salem, as well as part of the South Surra area and many other regions.”

Al-Balushi explained that the joint team formed at the onset of the crisis included several relevant entities: the Kuwaiti Armed Forces, the Ministry of Interior represented by the Civil Defense and General Fire Force, the Ministry of Electricity, Water and Renewable Energy, the Kuwait Municipality, and the Ministry of Health, all working within a framework of coordinated efforts and role alignment to manage the emergency.

He noted that operations began by closing the inflows to the station, a process that took 45 days, during which all conduits feeding the station were shut down in preparation for rehabilitation, maintenance, and readiness for restart. Al-Balushi emphasized that the strategic importance of the Mishref pumping station, which accounts for about 20 percent of the country’s wastewater system, necessitated accelerating rehabilitation and maintenance works to return the station to service as quickly as possible.

He added that the efforts resulted in completing rehabilitation and returning the station to service three months ahead of the scheduled timeline in the project plan. The station was partially commissioned last August as part of the restart phases and readiness verification. After completing trial operations and confirming the station’s readiness, it was fully returned to service on September 22 with its full operational capacity of 230,000 cubic meters per day.

Al-Balushi concluded his statement by confirming that the station is currently operating at full capacity, pumping wastewater to the Aradiya station, from where it is transferred to the treatment plant in Sulaybiya. He noted that restarting the station at full capacity represents a significant step in restoring the efficiency of the wastewater system, following the joint efforts of relevant entities to manage the crisis and complete rehabilitation works three months ahead of the planned schedule.