GE Infrastructure Water & Process Technologies and the Algerian Energy Company plan to build the largest seawater desalination plant in Africa.
GE Infrastructure Water & Process Technologies and the Algerian Energy Company (AEC) plan to build the largest seawater desalination plant in Africa.
Formed and funded by GE (70%) and AEC (30%), the so-called Hamma project will supply 25% of Algeria's capital city's population with desperately needed drinking water, supplying 200,000 cubic meters (53 million US gallons) of potable water a day.
Currently, the people of Algeria are plagued with usable water challenges that range from drinking water shortages and irregular rainfall to aging infrastructure that can cause immense losses of water. Because of the scarcity of clean water, the residents of Algiers only receive water one out of every three days.
Hamma will be the first private desalination reverse osmosis potable water project in Algeria. The project will also be the largest membrane desalination plant in Africa, as well as one of the largest desalination plants in the entire world.
The Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC), which helps US businesses invest in new and emerging overseas markets, also contributed $200 million towards the project.
Construction on the Hamma project is scheduled to begin in July 2005 and is estimated to last 24 months
