Dubai: Innovative water refilling stations have been put in place at Dubai Metro links and inside shopping malls, in support of the ‘Dubai Can’ initiative, aimed at making sustainability a way of life.
In a video posted on Twitter by Dubai Media Office (DMO), Ibrahim Al Zu’bi, Chief Sustainability Officer at Majid Al Futtaim, said the water refilling stations use innovative technology that can harvest water from air.
He noted: “We are producing more than 5,000 litres of water from air for more than 2,500 people – equivalent to two litres of water per person – on a daily basis. The water refilling stations are located at Dubai Metro links as well as in shopping malls. Founded in 1992, Majid Al Futtaim is the leading shopping mall, communities, retail and leisure pioneer across the Middle East, Africa and Asia.
Simple science
Producing water from air is simple science. The atmosphere contains water vapour and this source of water is tapped using the principle of condensation to extract moisture from the air and convert it into pure drinking water.
Public-Private partnership
DMO said the use of innovative technologies to produce water from air is part of the partnership between public and private sectors to support the ‘Dubai Can’ campaign that was launched recently by Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of The Executive Council of Dubai.
‘Dubai Can’ is a citywide sustainability movement “designed to inspire people to make a difference through a series of sustainability-focused initiatives. It seeks to motivate communities across the city to undertake simple changes such as using refillable water bottles and public water stations and installing water filters in their homes, offices and schools”.
UAE NetZero 2050 initiative
The ‘Dubai Can’initiative is aligned with the Dubai 2040 Urban Masterplan and the city’s commitment to helping the UAE achieve the UN Sustainable Development Goals and UAE NetZero 2050 initiative.
Earlier, Dubai has introduced a charge of 25 fils for single-use plastic bags starting from July 1. This will be applied in retail and clothing stores, restaurants and pharmacies, as well as in delivery and e-commerce orders. Authorities said the charge will be evaluated in stages before single-use plastic bags are banned completely in two years’ time.
