Water waste: the biggest threat to the growing Gulf and how smart water management solutions can save us
Monday 12th June 2017
Waste not, want not - a saying many of us are all familiar with. Since 1772, it has meant; ‘If you use a commodity or resource carefully and without extravagance you will never be in need.’ Then why in 2017, almost 250 years later, are we still such a wasteful society?
Water is undisputedly our most valuable and precious commodity – and it happens to be in short supply. Nowhere is this strain being felt more acutely than in the Gulf Region. Listed by the World Resources Institute (WRI) as a region that is set to face the most severe water stress by 2040, a situation that occurs when our demand for water outweighs it’s availability, the UAE still has one of the highest water consumption rates in the world.
In fact, compared with the global average of 200 litres per day, the average UAE resident is estimated to use as much as 550 litres of water every single day. Not only is the scale of demand extraordinary, but – coupled with the energy-intensive desalination process – producing potable water creates an extraordinary impact on the region’s carbon footprint. The GCC’s desalination plants alone account for 0.2% of the entire world’s electricity consumption.
With this being known, wasting water seems almost criminal.
How is so much water being consumed?
1. Careless use of potable water from our water networks
You only have visit one of the UAE’s multitude of parks, gardens or landscaped hotels to witness conventional irrigation systems in use. Above ground sprinkler systems are favoured region-wide, but are being used inefficiently. The spray evaporates in mid-air, drifts away in windy conditions and sometimes missing the shrubbery altogether to irrigate the surrounding paved areas instead. Timing is usually off too, dousing vegetation in the wake of the midday heat when plants cannot absorb the water, only for it to be evaporated by the scorching sun or lost to deep drainage in the sandy soils.
Yes, some may say that it only Treated Sewage Effluent (TSE) that is being lost. Nevertheless, TSE is still a valuable source of water, as much in short supply for plant irrigation as is drinking water for human use.
2. Missed opportunities for free supplemental irrigation water
Our linear view to water in the urban environment means that we are not harnessing valuable resources like stormwater, air conditioner condensate and grey water. Rather than utilising this water through effective on-site water management solutions, we’re mixing these clean sources of water with wastewater, only for it to be pumped over long distances to water treatment plants to be treated at high-energy costs, and then to be pumped back (wasting more energy) to our homes as TSE. This is not necessary. Stormwater and condensate are completely free, with a zero-carbon footprint and perfectly clean at the time and location in which we received them. The potential of condensate recovery alone for plant irrigation is huge with an estimated 7,500 litres being produced from just one large air conditioner per day in a humid climate.
Can we stop this?
Ultimately, yes. To put it simply, if we could only learn - just like the Bedouins - to treat water as a gift, with the respect it so much deserves, and change our ways to manage all water sources effectively and on-site as much as possible, enough water could be harnessed and used for our gardens and parks. Technology to prevent surface evaporation, deep drainage, off-timed irrigation, while at the same time capable of handling stormwater and condensate as supplemental sources of water, without the use of any energy, already exists. Sub-surface capillary irrigation solutions, like Permavoid, increase water efficiency greatly with one elegant nature-based solution.
Saving potable water = saving energy = saving groundwater = reducing desalination impact on marine life = saving money!
So what are we doing about it?
Thankfully, here in the UAE, we’re becoming aware of the importance of planning for the future through sustainable development. HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid is proudly leading this quest with the UAE Centennial 2071 project, which recognises the value of managing resources to provide a happy and thriving environment for generations to come.
As well as including strategies that will help the country to rely less on oil, it focuses on the education of advanced information technology and engineering. Ensuring the UAE’s water security will play a significant part in achieving this vision.
Our advice
Soakaway solutions that collect and re-use water in the built environment are key. What’s more, they’re completely attainable and right here in Dubai.
If you’re interested in learning more about Permavoid or other water management solutions that will help you protect and utilise water for the benefit of the planet, as well as your project, contact our team of experts.
Contact us today to discuss the transformative solutions for your project:
Tel: +971 (0) 4 518 3000
Email: middleeast@polypipe.com