How UAE’s new desalination plant provides safe drinking water to 2 million residents

How UAE’s new desalination plant provides safe drinking water to 2 million residents

Published: Tue 28 May 2024, 10:36 AM

Naqa’a, one of the world’s largest desalination projects using seawater reverse osmosis (SWRO) technology, can cater to water requirements of about 2 million residents in the UAE’s northern regions, a top official said.

Built in a collaboration between Etihad Water and Electricity, Mubadala, and Saudi Arabia’s utilities developer ACWA Power, the mega project has a production capacity of 150 million gallons a day.

Located in Umm Al Quwain, the newly opened plant’s distribution network also extends to Ras Al Khaimah, Fujairah, Dibba Al Fujairah, Ajman, and Dhaid in Sharjah, ensuring a wide-reaching reliable supply of potable water across these areas.

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“Naqa’a is one of our most strategically important projects to date,” Eng. Yousif Al Ali, CEO of Etihad Water and Electricity, told Khaleej Times.

‘Meeting growing demand’

A seawater desalination facility like Naqa’a, Eng. Al Ali underlined provides a consistent reliable source of freshwater, even in regions where there are limited natural sources of freshwater, like the UAE and the region. “This reduces reliance on groundwater sources and helps meet the demands of growing populations. The UAE is one of the most water-stressed countries in the world,