UAE | Environment
'Red tide' shuts desalination plant
Ghaleelah Desalination Plant has been sealed off following the spread of "red tide" on the coast in the emirate's northern areas, but mostly in Ghaleelah.
- By Nasouh Nazzal, Staff Reporter
- Published: 23:04 March 23, 2009
- Image Credit: Gulf News archive
- Fewa announced the temporary closure of its GhaleelahDesalination Plant until the ‘red tide’ phenomenon is over.
Ras Al Khaimah: Ghaleelah Desalination Plant has been sealed off following the spread of "red tide" on the coast in the emirate's northern areas, but mostly in Ghaleelah.
The northern regional office of the Federal Electricity and Water Authority (Fewa) announced the official, temporary closure of the plant until the phenomenon is over.
Sources in the department said that work in the plant will be resumed once the red tide is no longer in the area, adding that Fewa is working hard to provide residents with suitable alternatives to meet their daily water needs. The sources added that local need in the Ghaleelah area and other affected areas would be met by sending water containers and pumping water from nearby wells.
Residents of Ghaleelah and other surrounding public areas have complained to the emirate's authorities three times in the past couple of days as electricity has been repeatedly cut off in their areas for an average of 10 hours at a time.
The residents claimed that so far the authorities have not provided them with their domestic needs for water and that this is a similar situation to what happened the first time the plant was shut for a couple of months. They added that they have been buying water from water tankers and this has been taking a considerable chunk out of their household budgets.
They said that it was the responsibility of Fewa to provide them with their water and to work hard to ensure no more electricity cuts occurred in their areas.
The residents claimed that the emirate's authorities had been aware of the re-appearance of red tide in the area and said that it was their responsibility to handle this situation and prevent it from happening in the first place.
The residents, who are mainly fishermen, said that the spread of red tide has also caused serious losses to their businesses as huge quantities of fish had come ashore in their area and fishermen have been avoiding the sea for the past few days to spare themselves from potential danger. Residents have made it clear that they will not fork out any more cash for water and that they expect to see an increase of water tankers in their areas to provide their families with water very soon.
Fish killer: What is red tide?
Red tide is the result of an influx of a type of algal bloom - it is so named because it turns the water a reddish colour.
Red tide on the east coast has destroyed 95 per cent of corals in the Dibba Marine Protected Zone and the fish population has dwindled to a minimum, a marine biologist said, as reported in Gulf News in February.
Have you experienced any water shortages? Have you contacted the relevant department?
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