Hydraulics Engineer

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Overview of position:
Water scarcity in Yemen has been a long lasting & ever accelerating issue with many social & economic effects. 2 / 3rd of the country is classified as hyper arid with less than 50 mm of rainfall per year & most of the rest is classified as arid with less than 200 mm rainfall. Due to historically limited investments in harvesting surface water & the destructive war, Yemen has over exploited its groundwater sources considerably over the last 50 years. Agriculture, as the main livelihood mode for more than 80% of Yeminis, uses 90% of overall water use. About 40% of which is sourced from groundwater, 50% is rainfed & 10% from surface sources. As a result, the deep non renewable water resources created by nature over 10,000 years have been largely depleted affecting 20 – 25% of the arable land is in mountain terraces. Like many other parts of Yemen, Aden depends entirely on underground water from 3 main water supply fields, Bir Nasser & Aimanasrah in Lahj & Bir Ahmed in Aden. In April 2021, due to the structural damage, frequent power outages & ballooning fuel prices, water pumps were only functioning every 3 days for 2 – 4 hours. So, accessible quantities of water cover only 50% of the total water demand. Prior to the 2015 crisis, there were at least 2 desalination stations in Yemen, 1 of which, Alhaswah electricity station in Aden, produces about 69,000 m3 / day of fresh water. The water flows into the network of Aden’s water supply. A 2nd desalination station, located in the Almokha area, which had a similar nominal capacity, was destroyed by an airstrike in 2016. Yemen used to produce 25 million m3 / y of desalinated water, approximately 2 % of its water deficit (estimated at around 1,500 million m3 / y). In theory, for Yemen to count on desalination to cover this gap, it would have to construct & maintain 50 large desalination plants. Recognizing the urgency of the situation, the Ministry of Water & Environment (MoWE) is currently drafting the national strategy for the exploitation of non conventional water resources (seawater desalination & sewage treatment). In order to support implementation of this strategy, desalination plant technology is considered as 1 of the means to provide non traditional drinking water to meet the demands of local communities & contribute to their economic welfare.
The main objective of this consultancy is to conduct a scoping & prefeasibility study of large scale desalination of sea / brackish water to provide potable water for domestic use in Aden. The scoping & prefeasibility study aims at defining project objectives & requirements & to establish the scope of the desalination plant project at a strategic level. This includes identifying the target capacity & the desired outcomes. The scoping & pre feasibility study also involves conducting preliminary research & gathering information to determine the viability of the project. This involves conducting an initial analysis of the project’s technical, financial & environmental aspects. It includes evaluating the available water resources, assessing the site conditions & considering the potential environmental impacts of the seawater / brackish water desalination plant. The scoping & pre feasibility phase aims to help in identifying potential challenges & risks associated with the strategic desalination project & it will support the efforts led by the MoWE to draft the national strategy for the exploitation of non conventional water resources (seawater desalination & sewage Rreatment). It will inform interested donors to fund new desalination projects or go for a joint action to implement large scale desalination facility.

Scope of work:
The CO seeks the services of an experienced & qualified Hydraulics Engineering Expert to conduct a scoping & pre feasibility study for large scale desalination of sea / brackish water to provide portable water for domestic use in Aden Governorate, Yemen. The overall scope of work is to:
Conduct field visit for visual inspection & data collection.
Conduct scoping & prefeasibility study for large scale sea / brackish water desalination in Aden.

The Hydraulics Engineer will conduct the following activities:
Reviewing existing studies & reports on desalination projects in similar regions as well as available suppliers & contracts modalities for implementation.
Conduct detailed scoping & prefeasibility study to identify the viability of establishing large scale desalination plants in Aden.
Conducting an analysis of the water usage patterns, projected population growth & climate data to determine the water demand & the future water needs Aden considering other water supply options.
Identifying potential desalination sites & locations for water intake & discharge for the large scale desalination plant, considering implications of climate change on the coasts, such as rising sea levels & extreme weather events.
Identify potential challenges & design appropriate measures to protect the desalination plant from coastal hazards. This includes considering the location & orientation of intake & outfall structures, ensuring optimal water quality & minimal environmental impact.
Collaborate with the team to prepare the general guidelines for setting up a large scale desalination plant including feasibility study, site selection criteria, renewable energy efficiency, design & engineering, codes & standards, O&M, cost management & recovery.
Evaluate the water distribution systems. This includes the efficiency of network of pipelines, pumps & storage facilities to ensure the seamless distribution of desalinated water to end users in Aden. This includes the adequacy of existing water storage tanks in the context of large scale desalination plant project & involves evaluating the capacity, structural integrity & operational efficiency of the tanks.
Collaborate with the Desalination / Distillation Process Engineer (Team Leader) & the Environmental & Social Safeguards Expert to prepare the general guidelines & the pre requisite criteria for the implementation of largescale desalination plant.
Coordinate with stakeholders, including MoWE & LWSC Aden.
Communicate project updates, technical findings & recommendations to stakeholders through reports & presentations.

Project reporting:
The Hydraulics Engineer will work with the Desalination / Distillation Process Engineer (Team Leader) & the Environmental & Social Safeguards Expert with support from the Heads of the Aden Sub Office, Amman liaison office & oversight & support team. The consultant will collaborate with the CO program, project & operations teams. our client will provide the consultant with logistical support in conducting the assignment.

Key competencies:
BSc. in civil / mechanical engineering or related engineering fields.
7 years’ experience in hydraulic engineering with focus on water supply analysis.
Knowledge in coastal hydraulics & morphology.
Knowledge in relevant industry standards, guidelines & regulatory requirements for water supply & distribution works.
Proven track record of successfully conducting scoping & prefeasibility studies for water supply projects.
Knowledge in developing environmental & social guidelines for fragile & hazardous environment.
Experience in conducting water supply distribution networks analysis using, EPANET, WaterGEMS or other related computer programs is a distinct asset.

Team management:
This role has no team management responsibility.

Further information:
The 60 working days will spread over a period of 4 months to provide for delays & the need for additional time that may be required to access stakeholders, incorporate feedback, finalize the study report & deliver the presentations.
For a detailed TOR, please refer to this TOR on CTG’s careers portal.
Qualified female candidates are encouraged to apply for this role.