Work on massive Dubai water reservoir progressing ahead of schedule

Dubai: A massive water reservoir project with a capacity of 30 million imperial gallons (MIG) in Dubai’s Hatta region is now more than one-third complete, officials said on Monday.

Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, managing director and CEO of Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA), recently visited the water reservoir project to review its progress.

According to the project schedule, there is significant progress in the project’s work at 36.259 per cent, compared to the 32.6 per cent target. The project, which has a cost of around Dh86 million, is expected to be complete by April 2023. Work on the project had started in April 2021.

What the project includes

It includes the construction of two reservoirs with a storage capacity of 30 million gallons of desalinated water, the construction of supporting buildings (a sub-station, operations building, equipment building, chemical storage building, chlorine dioxide generation building) and the extension of entrance and exit pipes. The structural foundation works for all facilities and reservoirs are 100 per cent complete, while the above-ground works are 27 per cent complete, and nearly 35 per cent of the pipes have been laid.

Hatta masterplan

Al Tayer said: “We seek to achieve the Comprehensive Development Plan for Hatta, launched by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai. We also work to consolidate the foundations of sustainable development for Hatta. We aim to establish Dubai’s leading position in the region, as an example of an effective and efficient infrastructure for electricity and water networks, to meet current and future requirements for all aspects of development in the emirate.”

He added: “We also support Dubai’s comprehensive approach to ensuring the sustainability of water resources in line with the Dubai Integrated Water Resource Management Strategy 2030, which focuses on enhancing water resources, using cutting-edge technologies and innovative solutions.”

Al Tayer said DEWA’s production capacity is currently 490 MIG of desalinated water per day. DEWA is also implementing the Hatta hydroelectric power plant, the first of its kind in the Arab Gulf region, with investments estimated at Dh1.421 billion. The plant will have a capacity of 250 megawatts, and a storage capacity of 1,500 megawatt-hours.

Boosting storage

The project is part of DEWA’s efforts to increase the storage capacity of Dubai to reach 7,212 million gallons by 2025 compared to the current 822 million gallons. “DEWA enhances the efficiency and reliability of the water network. It improves the water flow to fulfil the increasing demand for water in all parts of Dubai, increases the volume of the emirate’s water reserves and supports sustainable development,” added Al Tayer.

He said DEWA is implementing two other pioneering projects in Hatta, which are Dubai Mountain Peak and the Hatta Sustainable Waterfalls. These projects will promote Hatta’s position as one of the key tourist destinations in Dubai.