Abu Dhabi will soon announce a new unified strategy for water management, according to Eng. Awaidha Murshed Al Marar, Chairman of the Department of Energy.
He said that the new strategy links all stages of a drop of water, starting from production and delivery to consumption. The strategy will also monitor the added value provided by water, studying the percentages of lost water, the best ways for optimal use, and enhancing the rationalisation of consumption.
In a statement to Emirates News Agency (WAM) on the sidelines of the World Utilities Congress 2024, which kicked off on September 16 in Abu Dhabi, Eng. Awaidha said that the department is also working on issuing new policies and regulations that enhance the sustainability of the water and electricity sector in the emirate.
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This will contribute to improving the quality of services provided to the public at the lowest costs and prices and reducing the environmental impact, which helps advance sustainable development paths and economic growth in line with the goals of the UAE and achieving climate neutrality.
Eng. Awaidha also noted that the number of electricity accounts in the emirate is 598,537, while the emirate has 468,567 water accounts.
He said that the demand for water and electricity between 2022 and 2023 witnessed continuous growth, as the growth in peak electricity demand in the Abu Dhabi network reached about 7 per cent, while the growth in peak water demand in the Abu Dhabi network reached about 2.5 per cent.
Eng. Awaidha said that the main sectors that consume the most water in Abu Dhabi are the agriculture and housing sectors, with agriculture accounting for the largest share, followed by the residential, municipal, government, commercial and industrial sectors.
Most of the water supplies in the emirate come from groundwater, which constitutes 56 per cent of the total water quantity. Desalinated water contributes 33 per cent of the supplies, and the rest of the supplies come from recycled water and rainwater.