Water Resource ManagementAs in all arid countries, water is a scarce commodity in the Emirate of <strong>Abu</strong> <strong>Dhabi</strong>. <strong>Abu</strong> <strong>Dhabi</strong> has less than100 mm rainfall per year and a low groundwater recharge rate of less than four percent to total annualwater used. The water is mostly saline and brackish ground water, with only three percent fresh water.Additionally, water consumption rate in <strong>Abu</strong> <strong>Dhabi</strong> is currently 26 times the level of renewable supplies.Groundwater levels and quality are declining in many areas as a result of unplanned and uncontrolledwithdrawals, especially in the agriculture and forestry sectors which account for 58 % and 18 %respectively of total water consumption. <strong>Abu</strong> <strong>Dhabi</strong> Emirate’s daily water consumption rate of 550 litersper person is one of the world’s highest domestic water consumption rates.Saline groundwater has increasingly been used for irrigation. Soil salinity has increased to the extent that,in many areas, only a few salt-tolerant crops are now grown (i.e., Rhodes grass and dates). Excessive andimproper use of inorganic fertilizers by farmers has also resulted in widespread nitrate leaching andcontamination of the groundwater.The Urban Structure Framework Plan <strong>Abu</strong> <strong>Dhabi</strong> 2030 has calibrated certain projections for the next fiveyears stating that the population of <strong>Abu</strong> <strong>Dhabi</strong> City will increase to 1.3 million. There will be 3.3 millionannual tourist visits and 251,000 residential units. To cope with the resulting exceptional rise in water usagein the coming years, <strong>Abu</strong> <strong>Dhabi</strong> <strong>Environment</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong> has focused primarily on water resources and waterdemand management.In <strong>Abu</strong> <strong>Dhabi</strong>, EAD has been assigned the responsibility for the management of groundwater management,and has established groundwater monitoring networks. EAD has made great advances towards a comprehensiveWater Database for the Emirate of <strong>Abu</strong> <strong>Dhabi</strong>. This database is currently the largest in the region.To support the <strong>Abu</strong> <strong>Dhabi</strong> Policy Agenda 2007-<strong>2008</strong>, EAD is forming and/or upgrading protection policiesfor marine and freshwater environments; discharge standards, water reuse, recycling and conservation;irrigation; groundwater resources protection. Baseline data for monitoring and ongoing assessment is alsobeing developed.Water policy in the Emirate has principally emphasized increasing supply rather than efficiency gainsthrough improved demand management. The Emirate’s desalination industry can produce around 750million cubic metre per year, but this is an extremely costly and energy consuming process.Our Strategic Targets:12Our Targetsfor the End of <strong>2012</strong>• Reduce water consumption per day per capita in<strong>Abu</strong> <strong>Dhabi</strong> to 350 lit/day/person• Reduce water consumption in agricultural zonesto18,000 m3/ha• Reduce water consumption in forestry sector to2,500 m3/ha• Improve water quality in <strong>Abu</strong> <strong>Dhabi</strong>:Salinity = 300 - 70,000 ppmNitrogen Loading = 5 - 45 ppm• Improve groundwater reserves/availability in<strong>Abu</strong> <strong>Dhabi</strong>: Fresh water = 17.00 km3Brackish = 113 km3Saline = 505 km3• 100 % completion of soil surveying (classification,mapping, evaluation, degradation, assessment etc)• 100 % completion of salinity mapping andmonitoringWhere Are WeNow?550 lit/day/person(Estimated)23,500m3/ha3,500 m3/haSalinity: 800 - 70,000 ppmNitrogen loading:5 - 80 ppmFresh water: 16.25 km3Brackish: 115.8 km3Saline: 508.6 km340 %40 %Our Two YearsTarget<strong>2008</strong> - 2009400 lit/day/person21,500 m3/ha3,000 m3/haSalinity:500 - 70,000 ppmNitrogen Loading: 5 - 70 ppmFresh water: 16.5 km3Brackish: 114.25 km3Saline: 507 km390 %60 %
Air QualityEAD is reviewing indoor air quality standards for the workplace (including factories,commercial buildings, schools, hospitals) as well as outdoor air quality standards as perthe <strong>Abu</strong> <strong>Dhabi</strong> Policy Agenda 2007-<strong>2008</strong>.EAD is also contributing towards the government initiative of using alternative andsustainable energy sources designed to underpin <strong>Abu</strong> <strong>Dhabi</strong>’s long-term position as areliable global energy provider.13
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