Ensuring the Sustainability of Water Resources

Published on IDRA Global Connections Fall 2019 Issue

In a one-on-one interview, IDRA Secretary General Ms. Shannon McCarthy asked His Excellency Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer how the Dubai Electricity and Water Authority, as one of the world’s leading public utilities, envisions the path towards ensuring the sustainability of water resources for the future.

Q. What is DEWA’s position on global water challenges including mounting environmental change, water pollution, the draining of nonreplenishable major aquifers, and increasing clean water demands. As these obstacles must be confronted, what advice would Your Excellency provide to colleagues who are tackling these multifaceted issues within an international, multilateral context?

A. Water is at the center of economic and social development. Water security is among the top global risks. Population and economic growth have placed unprecedented pressures on water. Water scarcity affects over 40% of the world’s population. More than two billion people lack access to safe drinking water. The world is expected to face a 40% shortfall between forecast demand and available supply of water by 2030.
Managing water security in the region requires developing the strategies and policies that will increase the efficiency of water use and the
integrated water resource management to ensure its sustainability. This should take into account the available resources, whether surface water, groundwater, or desalinated water. Water should also be fully recycled using available technologies.

Smart metering contributes to improving accuracy in billing, evaluating consumption, and increasing users’ awareness of their own consumption. Smart metering also helps water service providers identify leaks, reduce operating costs, and communicate the value of water to users. The Arabian Gulf region, including the UAE, is one of the regions that face challenges in rainfall. The UAE produces 14% of global desalinated water. The UAE’s Efforts and Strategies: The UAE Water Security Strategy 2036 aims to ensure sustainable access to water during both normal and emergency conditions. DEWA’s Contribution to Water Security: In Dubai, we have a comprehensive approach to ensure the
sustainability of water resources in line with the Dubai Integrated Water Resources Management Strategy, which focuses on enhancing water
resources, rationalization of water consumption, and using cutting-edge technologies and innovative solutions to reduce water consumption
by 30% by 2030.

In Dubai, we adopt three pillars to ensure the sustainability of water production. These are based on using clean solar energy to desalinate
seawater using the latest Reverse Osmosis (RO) technologies. Excess water is stored in aquifers and pumped back into the water network when needed. This integrated innovative model protects the environment and represents a sustainable economic solution. It also emphasizes Dubai’s ability to anticipate and shape the future.
1- All new desalination capabilities will be based on Reverse Osmosis Technology
2- DEWA adopts a clear strategy to ensure that by 2030, total equivalent energy requirement to meet 100% Dubai desalinated water demand
will be generated by clean energy
3- Storage of Desalinated Water in Aquifers

In a few years we will conclude the first quarter of the 21st century with limited solutions to increasing water challenges. What can public utilities do in order to proactively address these challenges and how can they secure sustainable supplies of safe water in the face of population growth, urbanization, decreased government spending, industrialization, and climate change?

In order to reduce dependency of non-renewable energy for production and supply of water, policies and programs are required for exploitation
of renewable energy. Additionally systematic efforts are required to change consumption and production patterns. Technology will certainly
play a major role in this transformation. Changes in consumption patterns can drive the creation of new technologies necessary for sustainability and their adoption and diffusion at the desired pace. Usage of Reverse Osmosis desalination technology powered by solar energy is one of the sustainable ways for securing water to the growing population. Sincere efforts are required on demand side management for reduction in water consumption and minimizing unaccounted water.

DEWA planned and implemented initiatives as part of its long and short term strategies to cover the above mentioned areas to secure sustainable supply of safe water for the residents of Dubai.

Please share how DEWA plans for new technology, energy efficiency, integration of renewables.

We are currently desalinating water in Dubai through the Combined Cycle Co-Generation, which is efficient and depends on using waste heat
created by the production of electricity for water desalination. DEWA conducted a study to improve water production, and analyzed the economic and technical feasibility of replacing Multi-Stage Flash (MSF) desalination technology with solar-powered Reverse Osmosis (RO) to produce water using cheap and clean energy. By 2030, Reverse Osmosis will help expand our production capacity by 305 million gallons of desalinated water per day, increasing total desalinated water production capacity to 750 million gallons of desalinated water per day. DEWA
adopts a clear strategy to ensure that by 2030, total equivalent energy requirements to meet Dubai desalinated water demand will be 100%
generated by clean energy. This will allow Dubai to substantially exceed global targets for using clean energy for Water production. Increasing the operational efficiency by decoupling desalination from electricity production which is expected to save around AED 12 billions and reduce 39 million tons of carbon emissions by 2030.

What are the best practices to create a roadmap and inspire those who will soon have to address these emerging challenges?

Selection of the latest, state of the art and highlyefficient generation & desalination equipment.
Utilization of latest and smart technologies for improvement of production, transmission and distribution of water and electricity services.
Utilization of Innovative technological solutions.
Deployment of Optimum Power Plant Design.
Optimum operation of power generation and desalination units.
Selection of talented and efficient workforce.
Implementation of internationally accredited management practices and performance monitoring systems.
Optimum unit commitment and maintenance planning to achieve highest reliability, availability and efficiency.

What is the general program of desalination in the coming years for Dubai?

We have clear strategies when it comes to water
– the UAE 2036 water security strategy
– The Dubai Integrated Water Strategy 2030
– Demand Side Management (DSM) strategy – aims to reduce Dubai’s electricity and water consumption by 30% by 2030
Our aim is to secure water supplies by ensuring sustainable access to water during both normal and emergency conditions in line with worldclass standards.
DEWA has been growing at a very fast pace to meet the speedy development of the Emirate of Dubai, the Monthly average peak demand has increased significantly from 177 MIGD in 2004, to 368 MIGD in 2018 (our current installed capacity is 470 MIGD).
Due to the fast growth and expansion, in line with our strategic objectives to preserve the groundwater, DEWA concentrated on desalination technologies in order to maintain the underground water as a strategic reserve for emergency use only.
DEWA adopts a clear strategy to ensure that by 2030, total equivalent energy requirements to meet Dubai desalinated water demand will be
100% generated by clean energy.
This will allow Dubai to substantially exceed global targets to use clean energy for Water production. One of the main enablers of this strategy is decoupling power and water production in all future expansions by constructing Seawater RO plants, which allows integrating greater share of renewable energy in the total energy mix.
Increase efficiency and reliability at the highest global leading levels. Since its establishment in 1992, DEWA has paid full attention to the
Unaccounted for water (UFW) which was 42.5%, DEWA has achieved remarkable results, surpassing leading European and American
companies by reducing the unaccounted-forwater down to 6.5% as compared to 15% in North America and Europe.

How does DEWA approach the technical, financial and operational risks?

DEWA implemented Enterprise Risk Management wherein all operational, technical, project and financial related risks are effectively identified and necessary mitigation plans are deployed. DEWA is the Middle East’s first organisation to implement the SAP Risk Management 10.1 and adopt best international practices based on the ISO 31000 certificate. DEWA also received the Business Continuity Management System (ISO 22301) for its integrated operations becoming the first utility in the MENA region to receive this certification.

DEWA approaches technical risk by means of innovative technological solutions like optimum power plant designs, power augmentation, cyclic
operation, re-engineering with waste to energy concept, zero fuel re-engineering, optimum outage planning etc. Decoupling power and water
production in all future expansions by constructing Seawater RO plants, which allows integrating greater share of renewable energy in the total
energy mix is another approach to deal with technical risk.

Financial Risk: DEWA developed a tailored IPP system, which allows DEWA to reduce the initial investment of new related projects by around 75%.

Operational Risk: DEWA minimized its operational risk by implementation of innovative technological solutions listed above which resulted in an
improvement of its Production (Power & Water) gross efficiency by 29.68 % for the year 2018 compared to year 2006 with savings of more than
AED 14 Billion. The risk of interruption of supply of electricity and water is mitigated by maintaining minimum power and water reserve margin at the targeted level all the time.

What is the DEWA view about the change in technology and moving from thermal to membrane? What changes are expected in the future?

Based on Future Shaping study, we came to the conclusion that decoupling of Water from Power production through Sea water RO production
will improve our efficiency and will ensure cost effective sustainability strategy.

What is the DEWA approach to energy efficiency and solar power in relation to Desalination?

Focusing on decoupling of power and water production processes by introducing more SWRO based desalination allows greater energy
efficiency as compared to thermal desalination processes. At the same time, it allows greater system operational flexibility, which is required
for effective integration of intermittent and nondispatchable renewable generation such as solar PV. This allows DEWA to achieve higher energy
efficiency as well as meet our clean energy targets by introducing more cost effective solar generation (such as PV) within the system.
We are creating a synergy between the decoupling of power and water production by using Sea Water RO plants supplied by renewable energy and the Aquifer Storage and Recovery, an innovative scheme to store desalinated water into groundwater aquifers in order to be recovered when needed.

How does DEWA manage concerns about environmental problems relating to brine discharge?

DEWA is complying the wastewater discharge quality and quantity limits stipulated in the wastewater discharge permits issued by Dubai
Municipality, the local environmental regulator of Dubai. We have made provision for cooling/mixing of wastewater by employing wastewater-cooling basin in the latest stations to minimize discharge temperature and ensure compliance of regulations.

While wastewater is not under DEWA’s responsibility, how does DEWA collaborate to ensure treated water is not drained to the sea
without being re-used?

Treatment and re-use of treated sewage effluent is not under the scope of DEWA. Dubai is using treated sewage effluent for irrigation and raw/
make-up water in district cooling systems, which in turn is reducing significant load on production of fresh desalinated water.