The Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) has commissioned a new water reservoir in Enkhali and connected it to Dubai’s water network to raise the emirate’s water storage capacity. The reservoir, which has a storage capacity of 120 million imperial gallons (MIG), cost AED287.8 million ($78.36 million).
Supporting UAE Water Security Strategy 2036
This water reservoir project falls under DEWA’s efforts to provide state-of-the-art integrated infrastructure for electricity and water across Dubai and support the UAE Water Security Strategy 2036 which aims to ensure sustainable access to water during normal and emergency conditions and address future water security challenges.
The strategy also aims to reduce total demand for water resources by 21 percent, increase the water productivity index to $110 per cubic meter, reduce the water scarcity index by three degrees, increase the reuse of treated water to 95 percent, and increase national water storage capacity to up to two days.
The reservoir in Enkhali in addition to other reservoirs in Lusaily, Hassyan and Hatta further support DEWA’s strategy to increase the efficiency and reliability of water networks, raise water flow and volume of water reserves to meet the growing demand and sustainable development of Dubai.
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Storage capacity to reach 1,121.3 MIG
Upon completion, the water reservoirs will have a storage capacity of 1,121.3 MIG of desalinated water, compared to the current capacity of 1,001.3 MIG.
In addition, they will add to the Aquifer Storage and Recovery (ASR) project for desalinated water, of which DEWA has completed the first phase. At full capacity, the ASR project can store up to 6,000 million imperial gallons of water once completed by 2025.
“This makes it the largest ASR of its kind in the world to store potable water and retrieve it in case of an emergency,” said Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, MD & CEO of DEWA.
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