A parliamentary report revealed that the UAE has the highest rate of consumption among its population of “bottled water” in the world, with a total of 285 liters per person annually, and a desalination cost exceeding 11.8 billion dirhams annually, while the report warned of “misuse of water” at the personal and domestic levels, pointing out He pointed out that “the average per capita consumption of water in general in the country is considered one of the highest global rates recorded.”
In detail, the report called for a re-evaluation and study of the effectiveness and efficiency of the activity of the “National Campaign to Rationalize Water Consumption” implemented by the Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure, within the National Program for Energy and Water Demand Management, in order to ensure achieving higher rates of reducing the average per capita consumption of water, explaining that the program The government includes initiatives to reduce water consumption in the agricultural and building sectors, as they are the sectors that consume the most water, in order to raise the efficiency of consumption, which contributes to improving the local product and enhancing the country’s competitiveness in the field of environmental and economic sustainability.
The report, a copy of which was obtained by Emirates Today, stated that the Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure launched the National Conservation Campaign initiative, in order to prepare an integrated plan for awareness and education in the field of rationalizing electricity and water consumption, as the campaign targeted five groups in society, which are “families and students.” employees, workers, and tourists,” and the corresponding relevant sectors. The country’s government also launched the “UAE Water Security Strategy (2036),” with the aim of ensuring the sustainability and continuity of access to water during normal and extreme emergency conditions, in line with the country’s laws and WHO specifications. Globally, it contributes to achieving the well-being and prosperity of society, and sustaining the growth of the national economy.
The report confirmed the increasing rates of “domestic consumption” of water, as statistics showed that the UAE has the highest per capita consumption rate of bottled water in the world, with a total amounting to 285 liters annually, pointing out that the majority of the water used in bottling is desalinated water, with a cost of desalination of about 11.8 liters. One billion dirhams annually. The report warned of what it described as “misuse of personal and domestic water,” noting that statistics show that the average per capita consumption of water in the country is 497.3 liters (per capita per day in 2020), which is considered one of the highest global rates recorded, as the average ranges between The global average is between 150 and 300 liters per day.
He also confirmed the high rates of water consumption in the industrial sector in the country, recording 9% of total water consumption.
The report concluded with the need to strengthen cooperation and coordination between the Ministries of Energy, Infrastructure, and Education, in order to adopt innovative initiatives concerned with rationalizing consumption and achieving sustainable water security, as well as launching awareness campaigns for all segments of society, calling for activating the role of the media at all levels, and through social media sites. Social issues on rationalizing water consumption.
Specific goals
The parliamentary report stated that the Water Security Strategy (2036) for the UAE aims to ensure the sustainability and continuity of access to water during normal and extreme emergency conditions, as it was prepared from a comprehensive national perspective, to cover the elements of the water supply chain in the country, and within a time frame extending for about 20 years. With the participation of bodies and entities concerned with water resources in the country.
According to the report, the strategy works to achieve specific goals, including: implementing integrated management of water resources at all levels, by reducing the total demand for water resources by 21%, increasing the water productivity index to $110 per cubic meter, in addition to increasing the efficiency of use. Significantly improve water supply in all sectors, ensure sustainable freshwater withdrawal and supply in order to address water scarcity, and significantly reduce the number of people experiencing water scarcity by lowering the water scarcity index by three notches. Improving water quality by reducing pollution, stopping the dumping of waste and hazardous chemicals, reducing their leakage to a minimum, reducing the proportion of untreated sewage by increasing the reuse rate of treated water to 95%, and achieving the goal of universal access to safe and affordable drinking water, by providing Two days' storage capacity for normal conditions in the hydroponic system.
• The rate of water consumption in the industrial sector is 9% of the total consumption in the country.
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