Dubai: Dubai Municipality has allocated Dh7 billion in this year’s budget for infrastructure development,large high-priority projects and providing health and environment services.
The announcement was made yesterday by Hussain Nasser Lootah, Director-General of Dubai Municipality.
He said a big chunk of the budget amounting to Dh5 billion, will be spent on Airport City’s storm water tunnel project and in Expo 2020 venue areas. These projects will be completed by 2019.
He said that the project includes the construction of a main line to collect rainwater in Airport City and Expo 2020 areas for which an initial study has been done. Currently, primary design is being studied, which includes drilling of two tunnels and laying 13 kilometres long pipelines,” said Lootah.
He said the Dh1.4 billion sewage treatment plant in Jebel Ali will be completed in 2018, and it will serve 1.8 million people in an area of 25,000 hectares. "This project is being built with future expansion in mind and the big events being hosted by Dubai, like Expo 2020,” he said.
“The Jebel Ali plant will have the capacity to treat 675,000 cubic meters per day instead of its current capacity of 300,000 cubic metres. He said the latest technology is being used to make this project and environment-friendly. "The new technology will also ensure that the treated water has the characteristics and quality to be used for irrigating plantations,” said Lootah.
He stressed that the expansion at the Jebel Ali plant will be carried out with three basic objectives: to absorb the excess flow resulting from the Expo areas; to keep pace with the upcoming expansion projects in the emirate, and the diversion of a portion of the load of Warsan plant to Jebel Ali, as it is operating above design capacity by about 27 per cent.
He pointed out that the Warsan plant is perfectly safe, and the municipality has taken all precautions. He said the the sludge will be treated thermally to produce high quality fertiliser.
He explained that the treated water from the sewage plants is being used to reduce pressure on water resources. He said the treated water is being used for irrigation purposes in public, residential and neighbourhood parks and other areas. and in the city greening as a whole, The treated water is also used to reduce temperatures in hot areas in the vicinity of factories or uncultivated areas.
He said a Dh300-million sewerage and storm water drainage network in Khawaneej-2 will be completed this year.
He added that Dh243 million project in Deira covers several areas such as Al Qusais and includes the establishment of 13.7km long underground sewer lines. It is expected to be completed in 2018.
