UAE minister for water and environment Dr Mohammed Saeed Al Kindi has shown caution and respect for the country’s groundwater resources with the unveiling of a new three-year ministry plan.
It will focus on water desalination, environmental consciousness and developing the skills of UAE nationals, including initiatives on environmental security and the development of natural resources to promote sustainable development.
Environmental inspection, issuance of certificates recognising good environmental performance and fines for violating guidelines will be among the new measures, while a database will be developed, through statistical research and monitoring of commerical activities, to log water resources.
“Over the next three years, the ministry will focus on reducing the use of groundwater and shift its focus to alternative sources such as desalination,” the ministry’s statement read. “Also, the ministry will increase its groundwater surveillance network to more than 183 wells, increase the number of observation networks by 35% and complete the building of 11 freshwater ducts.”
In water treatment and development, the ministry will seek to develop UAE nationals’ skills in addition to creating awareness of rational water use. The ministry has kept a target of a minimum of 70% satisfaction rate in its customer service operations – a key component in the strategy, it said.
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