Abu Dhabi warns of potential water shortage

WATER SUPPLIES: Cut consumption, don't run your taps as often. (Getty Images)

Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed Al Nahyan, UAE Deputy Prime Minister and Chairman of EAD (Environmental Agency of Dubai) says the Emirate's groundwater supply has fallen by 18% since 2003.

The claim, detailed in EAD’s annual Abu Dhabi Emirate Water Resources Statistics Report, has led to Abu Dhabi increasingly relying on unconventional water resources, such as desalination and the re-use of treated wastewater.

Currently, 641 m³ groundwater resources are still available, but less than 3% of this is fresh water. The remaining 97 percent, which is brackish, has a high salt content and can negatively impact soil quality for agricultural purposes.

The report also reveals that groundwater contributes 71.2% to the total water demand, followed by desalinated water (24%) and treated wastewater (4.8%),

Sheikh Hamdan noted that currently, the total consumption of water resources in the Emirate exceeds 24 times its natural recharge capacity.

This has arisen from the rapid social and economic development that Abu Dhabi has witnessed in the last four decades and the stress it has placed on water use.

He noted the Emirate has one of the highest levels of consumption in the world on a per capita basis. Ominously, he warned of challenges ahead unless action is taken to reduce the rate of consumption.

Majid Al Mansouri, EAD’s Secretary General reinforced the point, arguing that the continuous growth in the population, which is expected to reach about 3.5 million people by 2030, in addition to the huge economic development projects planned, poses a major challenge in the next decade.

He pointed out that previous studies of the Environment Agency - Abu Dhabi and Abu Dhabi Water and Electricity Authority, has clearly shown a significant deficit in water supply in the coming years.

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READERS' COMMENTS

Insufficient measures to tackle by Abu Dhabi authorities
Posted by AN on Sunday 22 March 2009 at 10:04 UAE time


Landscape irrigation should not be with potted water.
Treated sewage effluent should be designed for in huge developments. But all the above is not the case in ABU DHABI even till date. Reem Island- atleast do some recycling of water there??

Time to wake up
Posted by Mac, UAE on Sunday 22 March 2009 at 09:20 UAE time


Water is one of the most precious thing for human life. Government need to take strong messures to educate people (residents as well as citizens) on the ways to reduce wasteage of water and methods to save water. Like in any developed countries home inspection should be made a routine for water usage and need to create awareness from school level so that the next generation which is to face more tuff time be prepared for the same. Its very strange no one has made any comments on this serious topic.

solar desalination
Posted by hasan, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates on Sunday 22 March 2009 at 08:12 UAE time


Solar Powered Desalination Units already had been used in deferent countries. Abu Dhabi is financially stable and can implement such system in a large scale to provide a reliable and clean drinking water stream from sources such as brackish groundwater and sea

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