Dubai, Sharjah spearhead UAE’s expansion of water storage facilities

Dubai, Sharjah spearhead UAE’s expansion of water storage facilities

The UAE is in the process of significantly increasing water storage capabilities, including a 10-fold expansion of storage in Sharjah along with increase of similar facilities in Dubai, said a senior official on Monday.

“We have water storage facilities in Abu Dhabi. Dubai is currently expanding water storage capabilities and there is also an expansion of around 10 fold planned for Sharjah as well,” said Sharif Salim Alolama, under-secretary for Energy and Petroleum Affairs at the UAE’s Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure.

While speaking on the first day of the two-day Arab Water Convention in Dubai on Monday, he said the UAE has introduced three plants over the past few years with capacities of 420 gallons per day, which is a 25 per cent increase in terms of total installed capacity.

In 2017, the UAE Water Security Strategy 2036 was launched to reduce water consumption and improve capacities, among other aims. Once implemented, the 2036 Strategy will achieve savings of Dh74 billion and reduce the emission of carbon dioxide (CO2) associated with the water desalination process by 100 million metric tonnes.

“In terms of the 2036 strategy, we are on track to achieving all (goals) that we have set well in advance. We are