Doha

The Public Works Authority (Ashghal) has conducted a workshop on the development and enhancement of integrated work mechanisms and procedures with the municipalities for the rain emergencies’ preparedness plan.
In coordination with the Ministry of Municipality and Urban Planning (MMUP), the workshop gathered participants from the Municipalities’ Service Managers and representatives of the Mechanical Equipment and Quality departments. Engineer Khalid Ahmed al-Obaidly, head of Treatment Section in Ashghal, led the workshop.
Ashghal’s presentation included a detailed explanation of the work mechanisms and procedures for rain emergencies, which resulted in an agreement on a set of organised procedures to be followed, particularly the enhancement of coordination and co-operation between Ashghal and other concerned parties like the MMUP, National Control Centre, and Qatar Meteorology Department.
To enhance coordination and co-operation, 220 employees from Ashghal and the MMUP will be notified via Arabic and English text messages to warn them of a rainfall potential and of changes in alarm levels.
The procedures are distributed among all concerned parties and involve the adoption of common alarm levels and a standardised escalating or lowering down mechanism for Ashghal and the MMUP.
In addition, the presentation included a detailed theoretical exercise of a scenario of increasing the alarm levels, the procedures followed in each stage, and the role of each of the concerned parties.
Ashghal’s preparedness plan for the rainy season, which is implemented by the Asset Affairs, included developing the operations management centre and training work team to deal with emergencies, equipping an operations centre to manage and contain emergencies along with conducting trainings to respond to emergencies, increasing the capacities of the customer service centres and responding to emergencies 24 hours a day.
The plan also includes preparing comprehensive equipment of pumps and electric generators and ensuring their quality and readiness, and distributing backup electric generators on the main pumping stations during the rainy season for early warning regarding potential emergencies, as these stations are connected to the Central Control Room (SCADA).
The plan covers areas with existing infrastructure and other as areas with infrastructure yet to be developed. For developed areas, the plan includes carrying out maintenance works and ensuring the effectiveness of the rainwater drainage system. For areas that lack infrastructure, the necessary procedures are taken in coordination with the MMUP to avoid the accumulation of rainwater in those areas.