Desalination Plant in Djibouti

Project details

Situated five kilometres west of Djibouti City in Doraleh, the newly established desalination plant aims to enhance the capital's potable water supply in a nation grappling with recurring water stress. Boasting a daily water production capacity of 22,500 m3, the Doraleh reverse osmosis plant currently caters to around 250,000 citizens, with plans to augment its capacity to 45,000 m3 in the future.

This ambitious undertaking, led by Eiffage Génie Civil and Tedagua, was financially supported by the Government of Djibouti and the European Union through the PEPER project (Producing Safe Drinking Water with Renewable Energy), aligning with the "Sustainable Energy for All" initiative of the EU.

The project unfolded in three key stages:

• Stage 1: The construction of the desalination plant itself.
• Stage 2: Maritime works involving the installation of two underwater pipes for seawater collection at a depth of 20 meters.
• Stage 3: The implementation of a 700 mm diameter pipeline extending 9 km and a 5,000 m³ vitrified steel tank, connecting the plant to the city's drinking water distribution network.

Details of the tasks entrusted

SOCOTEC Middle East offered its assistance to secure the project’s structural aspects. Our teams applied their expertise throughout the diverse stages of the project to confirm the project's compliance with applicable standards and regulations.

This encompassed:

• Audit of the General Organization of the project,
• Structural review,
• Visual inspection of the structure,
• Quality Audit of the structural works,
• Normalization of risks (for Inherent Defect Insurance purpose).