DEWA cautions customers to check water leakages to avoid hefty bills

Dubai: Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) has reminded all its customers the importance of conducting periodic checks to promptly detect and fix potential water leakages at homes, buildings and facilities.

“The possibility of leakages can be monitored through smart water meters, or if the utility bill is higher than previous months,” DEWA noted in a press release. “Customers can also monitor for water spots or leakages on the floors, walls and ceiling of the house or around the washing machine and kitchen areas. These can be because of leaking pipes and internal connections due to lack of maintenance.

“Water tank leakages can occur due to damages to the tank body, pipes or wrongful installation. Laundry rooms and washrooms should also be checked for leakages in the washing machine hose, toilet water tank, water heater, taps and connections. There can also be leakages outside the house from pipes, external connections or the home irrigation network,” DEWA added.

Scope of responsibility

DEWA noted that the scope of its responsibility for connections and maintenance “is limited to the meter only, while the responsibility for the internal connections beyond the meter rests with the customer and this includes residential, commercial and industrial sectors”.

DEWA also urged its customers to use specialist companies and high-quality pipes and material.

Smart monitoring

DEWA said customers can monitor their consumption through the Smart Living dashboard and get daily, monthly and annual reports. The initiative, through ‘My Sustainable Living’ programme, can be used to compare consumption with similarly efficient homes and benefit from the offers on DEWA app and use energy and water saving devices.

DEWA added: “Through the ‘Away Mode’ service, they can receive daily and weekly email reports when consumers activate the service or when they are travelling or away from home.”

High water usage alert

There is also High-Water Usage Alert under the Smart Response initiative to help customers detect leakages in water connections beyond the meter. The initiative also includes an auto-scheduling feature to make an appointment for a technical team visit with real-time updates. It also consists of a Virtual Call Back feature for customers to book suitable timings through online channels. The Self-Assessment tool includes a survey for customers to assess their consumption and learn about different ways of conservation.

DEWA underlined the importance of establishing a culture of sustainability and helping preserve natural resources by preventing water waste and any property damage.