Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (Dewa) has announced that 96.4 per cent of the work has been completed on its AED256-million ($70 million) Water Transmission Network project, which runs 36 km across Dubai.

The project includes the supply, installation, testing and commissioning of glass-reinforced epoxy (GRE) water pipes (in different diameters), and also precast GRE chambers.

The project has two sections. Section A with 12.52 km of 1,200-mm diameter  pipes, and Section B extending 24.12 km with 13.97 km of 1,200-mm and 10.15 km of 600-mm diameter pipes.

Giving a project update, Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, Managing Director and CEO of Dewa, said it has made significant achievements in developing the water network to enhance its efficiency and reliability as well as increase the water flow. “This meets the overall development needs, keeps pace with growing demand, and increases water reserves. These efforts have reduced the losses in water transmission and distribution networks from 42 per cent in 1988 to 5.1 per cent currently. This is one of the lowest scores in the world and compares favourably to North America, where water losses are around 15 per cent,” he said.

Dewa has also announced that it has completed 79.6 per cent of the work on the Lusaily water reservoir project, which has a storage capacity of 60 million imperial gallons (MIG).

The project, being built at a cost of AED175.4 million, is expected to be completed by the end of the third quarter.

“We are currently building a reinforced concrete 60-million-gallon reservoir in Lusaily alongside the existing one, which stores 120 million gallons of desalinated water,” stated Al Tayer. “Dewa is building another 120 MIG reservoir in Nakhali to increase the water flow and raise the volume of the emirate’s water reserve.”

“This meets the growing demand, supports the sustainable development of Dubai, and increases the efficiency and reliability of water networks, as well as increases the water storage capacity in Dubai to 1,002 MIG by 2021 compared to the current capacity of 815 MIG,” he added.