UAE | General
Extensive sewer grid to help cope with heavy rain
Building owners have been asked to connect their sewage system to the municipality's pipelines instead of continuing to use septic tanks.
- By Ashfaq Ahmed, Staff Reporter
- Published: 00:00 March 1, 2006
Dubai: Building owners have been asked to connect their sewage system to the municipality's pipelines instead of continuing to use septic tanks.
The municipality is spending more than Dh600 million to provide sewage and storm water drainage facilities in new localities. The projects are being carried out in Mirdif, Barsha, Mizhar, Warqa and Muhaisana, and will be completed in 2007.
"All buildings have to connect to the municipality's sewage system but the landlords of buildings in these area are not responding positively to our call," said Fareed Mohammad Saadi, Assistant Director of Drainage and Irrigation Department at the municipality.
He said the municipality has issued notices to landlords.
Saadi said the municipality is also laying storm water channels in the new areas. "We have covered almost 70 per cent of urban areas in Dubai."
Responding to complaints of rainwater flooding the roads, he said the storm water drainage system in Dubai is not designed for immediate clearance of rainwater because it does not rain heavily here.
"It takes six hours for rain water to clear if it rains up to 18 mm continuously," he said. He said the storm water drainage system worked very well during the recent spells of rain.
Abdul Majid Khojasteh, Head of Drainage and Irrigation Construction Unit, said landlords who have rented their property have to pay a minimum Dh10,000 to get a connection to thecivic body's sewage system.
Apart from more than 1,200-km sewer lines, a separate drainage system runs under the city. So far, around 1,020 km of drainage pipelines with 11,000 manholes have been laid.
Saadi advised the public to use the drainage system properly, as it is one of the most essential services and also helps to keep the city clean.
Residents should not wash down solvents, pesticides, paint thinners, engine oil or household cleaning products with hazardous chemicals into the drain or a storm sewer system, he said.
Dubai Municipality is not responsible for flooding in areas developed by private developers, a senior official clarified.
"We do not cater to the sewage and storm water systems in residential and commercial areas such as the Springs, Emirates Hills or Arabian Ranches, which have been developed by private developers," said Saadi. "They have their own network, which is not even connected to the municipality's sewage and drainage system.
"We should not be blamed for flooding in such areas," he said.
Some ongoing sewage and storm water drainage projects:
- Mirdif: Dh125 million
- Barsha: Dh277 million
- Mizhar: Dh60 million
- Warqa: Dh60 million
- Muhaisana: Dh85 million
Share this article
Popular in UAE
-
Your pictures
Readers' pictures
The best reader pictures from around the UAE this week
Latest news
- How I got into grad school in New York
- Committee plans for National Day
- Gallery gives helping hand to children's charity
- Failed heist: Gang ditches electrocuted member
- Rule of law 'necessary' for investment
- Students opt for vocational training
- Red Line Metro stations to open in February
- Vaccination drive for Haj pilgrims launched
- British athlete becomes first to swim around Palm
- 287 street vendors, beggars held in Dubai
- Call for entries to the third AUS Model United Nations
- Talk your way to the top
- Notes in Brief
- Man jumps to death after car tyre burst
- Burst pipe on SZR causes Metro station closures
Community Reports
-
Public transport is the way to go
Residents must stop complaining about feeder buses taking up parking space
-
Be kind to animals
Mistreated Labrador and puppy need new home filled with love
-
Help me find my precious cat
Raif, my cute eight-month-old ‘fur ball', went missing in Abu Dhabi's Al Bateen area last month
-
Pavement parking irks pedestrians
Gulf News reader calls on authorities to step in and stop car owners from invading pathways meant for safe walking
