Dredging plan for pollution-hit coastline

Extensive dredging could be carried out as a short-term solution to a coastal area on Dubai polluted by raw sewage, a Dubai Municipality official has said.

The sewage-hit area around the Dubai Offshore Sailing Club, could also see a partial replacement of sand after tankers carrying sewage to the Al Awir Sewage Treatment Plant reportedly dumped the raw sewage into the storm water drains.

Mohammed Abdul Rahman Hasan, head of the Marine Environment and Sanctuaries Unit, said samples from the polluted area were being tested to determine the next course of action.

“We might be going for a partial sand replacement or a full fledged dredging along the area in case the report is an alarming one," he told UAE daily Khaleej Times on Monday.

Officials also revealed that tankers are still being caught dropping sewage into the open sea or into storm water drains and each offender has been handed a 50,000 dirham fine.

According to the civic body officials, the new sewage treatment plant coming up at Jebel Ali will take the load off the existing plant at Al Awir, where tankers are forced to queue for hours to dispose of their sewage.

Dubai Offshore Sailing Club has been forced to suspend operations due to the sewage.

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