Desalination faces 'severe' challenges

Dubai: The desalination process in the region is facing severe economic and environmental challenges in a situation where the world's water supplies are increasing becoming aggravated, regional energy, environment and water ministers have warned.

In light of the need for more research on sustainable water production as urged by experts, a newly set-up research centre was launched on Saturday at the International Desalination Association's World Summit in Dubai.

The conference was officially opened by Shaikh Majid Bin Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairman of the Dubai Culture and Arts Authority.

Mohammad Bin Dha'en Al Hamili, UAE Minister of Energy, said in spite of the advances in water desalination, the global water situation was worsening due to the inadequate availability of clean water, population growth, wastage and bad practices in water usage.

"Today, here in this conference… most, if not all are decision makers in this area and from this platform. We should declare that it has become incumbent upon us all to take a serious stand and to keep doing all we can… to conserve water irrespective of its source, including desalinated water," said Al Hamili.

The IDA World Congress 2009 kicks off today at Atlantis, The Palm with around 1,300 attending delegates.

In his opening address Dr Rashid Bin Fahd, UAE minister of Environment and Water, said the UAE was now the second largest producer of desalinated water in the region, producing 1.3 billion cubic metres annually more than 30 desalination plants.

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Despite the advances in water desalination, the industry still faces technical, economic and environmental challenges, he said.

Desalination meets 98 per cent of water demands in the UAE. Future projections indicate that by 2020, daily production could climb to between five and seven billion cubic metres.

"In order to mitigate climate change, the UAE has adopted the option of using nuclear and renewable energy in desalination processes," Dr Bin Fahd said.

Fahmi Al Jowdar, Bahrain's Minister of Electricity and Water, called for better technology to be developed to minimise damage on the marine ecosystem in the Arabian Gulf. Salma Hareb, chief executive officer of Economic Zones World, announced that an Excellence Centre for Integrated Water Management will be created by the Dubai Institute of Technology.