A parliamentary report called for establishing a culture of rational water consumption in the educational sector, governmental and semi-governmental institutions. He recommended developing mechanisms and means that help “enhance community awareness in the field of reducing consumption and preserving resources that support the process of sustainable development.”
The Federal National Council will hold its session tomorrow, headed by Saqr Ghobash, to discuss the issue of the government’s policy on water security, in the presence of the Minister of Energy and Infrastructure, Suhail bin Mohammed Al Mazrouei, and a number of ministry leaders and government representatives.
Council member, Naima Al-Sharhan, confirmed that the UAE early realized the importance of the issue of water security, and launched the “UAE Water Security Strategy 2036”, with the aim of ensuring the sustainability and continuity of access to water during normal conditions and extreme emergency conditions, in accordance with the country’s laws and the specifications of the organization. Global health, contributes to achieving societal well-being and prosperity, and sustaining the growth of the national economy.
Al-Sharhan chaired the Council’s Health and Environmental Affairs Committee, during the previous legislative term, which discussed the topic of “Government Policy on Water Security” with relevant governmental and community agencies, and prepared its final report on it, before returning it to the same committee during the current legislative term to update and approve it.
She was also the parliamentary spokeswoman on the issue of water security, during the sessions of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP28), which was hosted by the UAE late last year.
Al-Sharhan told Emirates Today: “The UAE is currently facing a clear challenge, which is the noticeable increase in the rate of demand for water in various sectors, especially since the country is located in the belt of dry regions that are characterized by high temperatures and low rainfall, as well as the lack of sewage systems.” Renewable fresh water, in addition to other important pressures represented by the large population increase and economic growth, but the wise leadership realized early on the challenges facing the water sector in the country, which was an impetus to launch the UAE Water Security Strategy 2036, work to find solutions, and coordinate with the relevant authorities. “To intensify measures that contribute to rationalizing the consumption of water resources.”
She added: “Through this strategy, the state is working to ensure the sustainability and continuity of access to water during normal and extreme emergency conditions, as the main objectives of the strategy are to reduce the total demand for water resources by 21%, increase the water productivity index, and reduce the water scarcity index by three times.” degrees, increasing the rate of reuse of treated water to 95%, and providing storage capacity for two days of storage for normal conditions in the water system.”
Al-Sharhan stated that the discussions conducted by the Health and Environmental Affairs Committee during the previous legislative term on the issue of water security with specialists and government representatives, resulted in a set of observations and recommendations that were crystallized in the parliamentary report on the subject, in preparation for their discussion and adoption by the Council, the most prominent of which is the need to raise the level of awareness among people. Community members and urging them to follow a conscious and responsible lifestyle in water consumption, in addition to enhancing their knowledge of the latest modern technologies and innovative systems in this field.
She explained that among the parliamentary recommendations adopted by the committee is to establish a culture of rational water consumption in the educational sector, governmental and semi-governmental institutions and all segments of society, by “enhancing individuals’ awareness in the field of reducing consumption, raising the level of knowledge about energy consumption, and preserving resources that support the development process.” Sustainable.”
3 programs for “Water Security”
The Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure confirmed that the implementation of the UAE Water Security Strategy is achieved by focusing on three main strategic programs, including: the Water Demand Management Programme, the Water Supply Management Programme, and the Emergency Production and Distribution Programme, in addition to several common axes, including: policy development Legislation, awareness and rationalization campaigns, use of advanced technologies and innovation, and capacity building in the field of water.
She stated that the water security strategy seeks to reduce average per capita consumption by half, with a focus on establishing sustainable practices.
It also seeks to develop a water supply system that maintains a storage capacity for two days under normal conditions, equivalent to the availability of a water supply in the storage system for 16 days in emergency situations while maintaining a sustainable economy, and equivalent to a supply for a period that may exceed 45 days in emergency situations. Maximum.
The Ministry stated that the strategy adopted the establishment of six water network connection points between the electricity and water authorities, and their distribution to various regions of the country, and also included the connection between water networks, to enhance the ability to confront emergency situations, and reduce their impact on the economy and society by providing 91 liters of water per person per day. In emergency situations, and 30 liters per person per day for severe emergencies.
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