The Sharjah Electricity and Water Authority (SEWA) has suspended the operation of water desalination units in Kalba due to the emergence of red tide.
The director of the Eastern Region at SEWA, Ahmed Mohammed Al Mulla, said the shutdown aims to ensure the safety of residents and nationals.
The units will resume operations once SEWA is certain that the effect of red tide on the area’s seawater has vanished, he said in comments published by news agency WAM.
Red tide is a common name for a phenomenon known as an algal bloom – large concentrations of aquatic microorganisms.
SEWA called on consumers to cooperate and ration water consumption.
Al Mulla added that SEWA was monitoring the situation closely and was analyzing seawater samples round the clock.
Back in April 2009, two beaches in Jumeirah, Dubai were closed to the public while government scientists analysed samples from an incident of red tide.
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