The Qatar General Electricity and Water Authority (Kahramaa) has invited bids for two contracts to build pipelines for the estimated $3bn Water Security Mega Reservoirs project in Qatar.

Contractors have until 11 November to submit bids for the packages.

The work will involve providing water mains and fibre-optic cable ducts along the Qatar National Utility Corridor, from Rawdat Rashid to the existing Ras Abu Fontas mains. The first package will involve providing and installing 70.1 kilometres of 1,600mm pipeline and 20.6km of 1,200mm mains pipeline. The second package will involve installing 2.9km of 1,600mm, 38.2km of 1,400mm and 42.5km of 1,200mm pipeline.

The Water Security Mega Reservoirs scheme will connect the desalination plants at Ras Laffan and Ras Abu Fontas, which will skirt the west side of Doha. The pipeline will also connect to five reservoirs on the outskirts of the capital, which will be linked by about 200km of large-diameter pipeline.

The scheme has been designed to provide seven days of strategic water storage within its network, which will shore up the country’s reserve water supplies to protect against any future disruptions in supply.

Each reservoir site will contain up to 10 reservoir modules, which could be the largest of their type in the world. The reservoirs and pipeline network, with associated pumping stations, are planned to store up to 15 million cubic metres of potable water.

Serbia’s Energoprojekt recently submitted the low bid for the project management contract for the reservoirs scheme. The Serbian company submitted an estimated offer of about QR50m ($13.7m) for the project management deal. Kahramaa received bids from at least three project management firms.

Kahramma is currently in the process of awarding contracts for the initial enabling works packages on the project.

The concept design for the reservoirs project was completed in early 2011 by French project manager Sogreah, now part of the Artelia Group. In February 2012, Kahramma appointed the UK’s Hyder to provide engineering and environmental consultancy services for the project. The scope of Hyder’s work includes pre-design studies, preliminary design, detailed design, tender procurement and construction supervision.