The Sulaibiya project began in 1998 with the pre-qualification of consortia that included local and foreign investors as well as specialized contractors for building a wastewater treatment and reclamation plant on a build-operate-transfer (BOT) basis.

The BOT arrangement was part of the Kuwaiti Government’s plan to encourage effective participation by the private sector in the development of the national economy through the execution of infrastructure projects. Previously, such projects had been restricted to the public sector.

While the Government targets the local private sector for participation in strategic projects, at the same time it encourages foreign investors to participate in the development process. Both these goals were achieved with the Sulaibiya Wastewater Treatment & Reclamation Plant.