New water connections in Dubai doubled despite COVID-19 challenges

Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) has announced that new water connections have doubled between 2016 and 2020.

DEWA reported the number of new water connections increased to 67,768 last year, compared to 31,108 in 2016; an increase of around 118%. The total number of water connections increased from 666,006 in 2016 to 911,509 by the end of May 2021; an increased of around 37%.

The growth of water demand is due to new projects across different economic sectors.

HE Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, managing director and CEO of DEWA, said: “We strive to increase the efficiency and reliability of the water networks, increase the water flow to keep up with growing demand, increase water reserves, and provide electricity and water services for more than a million customers in Dubai according to the highest standards of availability, reliability, efficiency, and safety. This enhances the sustainable development of Dubai.

“Despite the global economic slowdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Dubai continues to grow. In 2020, we witnessed an increased in new connections across residential, commercial, and industrial sectors.”

DEWA is committed to maintaining a surplus in production to meet the reserve margin for peak water demand. DEWA’s installed capacity of desalinated water is 490 MIGD. Peak water demand has reached 378 MIGD.

DEWA currently has 43 Multi-Stage Flash (MSF) water desalination units with a total production capacity of 427 MIGD of water at the D-, E-, G-, K-, L, and M Stations. It also has two seawater reverse osmosis (SWRO) plants with a production capacity of 63 MIGD. DEWA’s total production capacity of desalinated water is 490 MIGD at the Jebel Ali Power Plant and Desalination Complex.