The Public Works Authority (Ashghal) and the Ministry of Municipality and Environment (MME) have charted out a joint action plan to take precautions in the event of rains.

During a meeting, attended by officials of Services Departments of the Municipalities and representatives of Ashghal's drainage operations and maintenance department, Ashghal proposed steps to be taken and preparedness procedures and processes to be followed in respective areas. It called for enhancement of collaboration and co-ordination between the entities concerned, most importantly MME, the National Control Centre and Qatar Meteorology Department.
According to the plan, 395 employees from Ashghal and the MME will be notified through SMS about the possibility of rainfall and the change of alert levels, after approving a unified mechanism of escalating and decreasing the alert level between Ashghal and MME.
Ashghal has also set up an operations management centre to manage and control rain emergencies.
The plan also entails increasing the capacity of call centres and customer zones to respond to the emergencies round-the-clock in addition to preparing equipment including pumps and electricity generators and check their readiness.
The meeting called for regular cleaning more than 45,000 manholes in addition to maintenance and cleaning of the pumping stations.
Also maintenance works of mechanical and electrical equipment and the rainwater drainage and its extension were also held. The supply of power generators to the main pumping stations has been ensured.
Issues of such areas where there is no rain drainage network, the necessity of having co-ordination between the MME and Ashghal were also discussed.
The drainage operation and maintenance department in Ashghal started the implementation of a new technological system for ongoing live monitoring of the ground and surface water drainage networks and sewage networks in March.
When this project is completed, the department will be able to monitor the performance of drainage networks and provide comprehensive, live and accurate data to take necessary proactive steps and procedures.
This system will contribute in monitoring the capacity and performance of the surface and groundwater networks and the flow resulting from water coming from the sewage and rain water. The system will also provide a clearer picture and early alert of the overflow level which increases Ashghal’s capacity to manage the rainy season problems by sending alerts when water levels increase in the drainage networks to set the priorities.