Dubai : A "silent crisis" could spell the end of precious freshwater resources in the UAE by 2025, a top scientist has warned.
The already limited groundwater levels are plummeting, while rainwater reserves are vanishing at alarming rates, said the UAE University's Chair of Geology Department, Dr Ahmad Murad.
He said the UAE's population boom and agricultural and industrial pressures are tapping deep into the underwater pools - but the dams built to "recharge" them by collecting rainwater are not working well enough.
The "main problem", Dr Murad said, was the fine soil at the bottom of the reservoir lakes blocking the surface water from fully seeping into groundwater tables. The sediment is carried there from mountains and higher ground in flash floods following heavy rains.
"The silt blocks the lake beds. To recharge the groundwater, the beds have to be maintained," said Dr Murad.
Wasted rainwater
"Authorities are trying to do that, but they should also transport the water through pipes into storage tanks or pump it out over large open areas with high porosity. This is coarse soil with lots of space between particles so water can seep to the underground water table. This will reduce the salinity [salt content], improving both the quality and quantity."
Keeping the water behind the dams leaves it at the mercy of the fierce Arabian sun, he added. Even though the dams caught four million cubic metres of rainwater in the recent downpours, less than 25 per cent of that made it through. "This is typical of what's happening. Seventy-five per cent of this water can evaporate between one week to two months, depending on a lot of factors - temperature, humidity, daylight hours, etc. Fifteen per cent escapes to the seas. Only 10 per cent recharges - and that too only if the lake beds are maintained regularly.
"We need to make immediate use of this [collected] rainwater. It should be transported to another area. It can also be injected directly into the ground through wells."
His comments came on top of the research he had co-authored in 2005. "Water resources could vanish within the next 20 years unless the use of freshwater is reduced and all water resources are managed in a sustainable manner," he had said in the ‘Comprehensive Assessment of Water Resources in the UAE' study. Dr Murad told XPRESS: "It's difficult to know how much groundwater we have, there aren't good records. There are no exact details, the surveys are old - from 2006. If I want to do some research, I have to visit seven or eight different organisations for the data. There should be a move to share the data between emirates."
Digging deeper
The UAE's federal and local water authorities sucked up a total of over 29 billion gallons of groundwater in 2008, the Ministry of Energy said in its latest report.
"But I know we're digging deeper now - up to 50 metres down to reach the aquifers. The shallow waters are exhausted.
"And rainfall is the only source of recharge. Investing more in dams is only logical. The International Development Bank says the UAE is the second poorest Gulf country in terms of fresh groundwater resources."
Virtually all of the water needs of cities like Abu Dhabi and Dubai depend on a steady flow from desalination plants.
"But they have to shut down if there's an oil spill or red tide," Dr Murad said. "That's happened in the past, in Ras Al Khaimah.
"In theory, we can achieve 50 to 70 per cent infiltration from dam lakes or surface water injection. This will put less pressure on desalination plants."
Environment group Heroes of the UAE said on Monday, World Water Day: "While desalination is crucial to meet our everyday needs, it does come with impacts that threaten our environment and ultimately our own health."
Limited choice
Do the Maths
UAE annual rainfall: 40-160mm
Evaporation rate: 2,000mm-3,000mm
Over 250 litres of water is wasted by each UAE resident every day on average. The UAE's per capita water usage - estimated at 550 litres daily - is thrice the global average
Source: Heroes ofthe UAE
UAE Water Production
Desalination: 1 billion cubic metres
Treated water: 400 million cubic metres
Call for Action
UAE residents have been urged by the Oasis Water Company to help bring clean drinking water to African villagers. It will donate funds towards building wells in at least three countries on the impoverished continent whenever customers here buy specially-marked "Oasis Water for Africa" drinking bottles. The bottle labels or logo discs must be dropped off at designated collection points or their number entered on www.oasiswaterforafrica.com. The company has already committed $20,000 (Dh73,400) for one well in Kenya. Campaign partner Global Water said each well supports around 500 villagers for a lifetime and costs between $6,000 (Dh22,000) to $20,000 (Dh73,400) The six-week charity drive kicked off on Monday to mark World Water Day.
