Dubai utility provider boosts production of desalinated water

DUBAI: The Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) has added 490 million imperial gallons per day (MIGD) to its production capacity of desalinated water.
The additional capacity comes from the new advanced units at DEWA’s Jebel Ali power plant and desalination complex, the government-owned utility said.
“This is supported by assets worth more than 182 billion dirhams owned by DEWA and its subsidiaries as well as investments of up to 86 billion dirhams over five years in the energy and water sectors,” Saeed Mohammed Al-Tayer, its CEO said.
The rapid expansion of Dubai over recent decades has demanded constant investment in combined power and desalination plants to feed rising domestic consumption of water and electricity.
Al-Tayer said DEWA wants to increase the production capacity of its Sea Water Reverse Osmosis (SWRO) approach to 303 MIGD.
It currently has two SWRO plants with a capacity of 63 MIGD – only 13 percent of DEWA’s total water desalination production capacity.