Advancing Sustainable Groundwater Management in Abu Dhabi

Transcription

ground water policy brief_Layout 1 1/10/13 12:51 PM Page 2
ADVANCING
SuStAINAble
grounDwAtEr
mAnAgEmEnt
in Abu DhAbi
December 2012
AnnuAL PoLicy briEF
About thiS PoLicy briEF
this policy brief is published annually by the Environment Agency-Abu Dhabi in cooperation with the Abu
Dhabi Food control Authority with the purpose of exchanging information and ideas about current and
future public policies to facilitate sustainable management of groundwater reserves in the Emirate of Abu
Dhabi.
it is available for download in pdf format from the Publications section at www.ead.ae and
www.adfca.ae.
For inquiries or feedback, contact EAD’s customer relations Department at [email protected].
© EnvironmEnt AgEncy – Abu DhAbi (EAD) 2012
All rights reserved. no part of this brochure may be reproduced in any material form (including
photocopying or storing in any medium by electronic means) without the written permission of the
copyright holders. Application for the copyright holders’ written permission to reproduce any part of this
publication should be addressed to the publisher, in accordance with the international copyright Act 1956
and the uAE Federal Law no. (7) of 2002, concerning copyrights and neighboring rights, any person
acting in contravention of this will be liable to criminal prosecution and civil claims for damages.
covEr Photo
Solar desalination plant in the western region to provide water, food and shelter to wild animals.
PhotogrAPhy by
ADFcA & EAD
Xavier Eichaker
Dr. mohamed Dawoud
EnvironmEnt AgEncy - Abu DhAbi
call us: +971 (2) 4454777
E-mail us: [email protected]
Know more about us: www.ead.ae
Abu DhAbi FooD controL Authority
call us: +971 (2) 4954000
Know more about us: www.adfca.ae
1
WAter IS more ImportANt
than oil for the Uae
“Water is more important than oil for the UAE. We are preoccupied by this major issue.
I believe the problem lies in the fact that the population of the Arabian Peninsula, is
incessantly growing while the region today does not possess a lot of resources.
Today, water can be provided through desalination, but within decades the situation will
be different as there are no rivers in the region and no technology at present under our
disposal to help meet the region's demand on fresh water.
Therefore, we have to focus our efforts on conducting relevant studies and researches
and on drawing up suitable strategies and solutions to come up with ways to meet future
demand and preserve natural resources for the coming generations”
h.h. general Sheikh mohammed bin Zayed Al nahyan, crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, Deputy
Supreme commander of the uAE Armed Forces, and chairman of the Abu Dhabi Executive
council at Al bateen held in Abu Dhabi on December 2011.
WHAt You WIll FIND IN tHIS brIeF
1) SEtting out thE chALLEngES
- water scarcity is driving reliance on non-conventional water sources
- water demand more than triples world averages
- Agriculture accounts for 72% of water consumption but is just responsible for
less than 1% of gDP
- water demand projected to grow 30% by 2030
2) SEtting out thE oPPortunitiES
- Abu Dhabi Environment vision 2030
- towards a new policy framework for agriculture management
- towards a new governance framework for water resource management
- water projects affecting underground water management
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
A nEw PoLicy AnD
govErnAncE
FrAmEworK For
grounDwAtEr
mAnAgEmEnt in
Abu DhAbi
the uAE is located in an arid region with scarce
water resources . however, Abu Dhabi has been able
to overcome the limitations imposed by its scarce
renewable water resources, namely underground
water, by increasing its reliance on non-conventional
sources such as desalinated and treated sewage water.
in 2011, 64% of its supply came from groundwater,
29% from desalinated water and 7% from treated
sewage water.
in spite of having one of the lowest water scarcity
indexes in the world, Abu Dhabi also has one of the
highest per capita water consumption rates, more
than tripling world averages. this large demand is
driven by a water policy largely based on supply side
management, rather than demand side management.
that is, on large infrastructure developments to
ensure water supply rather than on initiatives to use
water resource more efficiently.
over the last decades, the expansion of agriculture
with a view to creating employment, protecting the
rural heritage and making Abu Dhabi less dependent
on imported food has driven demand for water to
unsustainable levels. in 2011, water demand for farms
and landscape irrigation accounted for 72% of water
consumption but agriculture was just responsible for
less than 1% of gDP and for less than 15% of the fruits
and vegetables available in local markets.
At present, abstraction rates exceed 25 times the
average groundwater recharge rate. this is exhausting
the aquifers and at current consumption patterns
groundwater will be depleted. this is also affecting its
quality as salinity is rapidly increasing. in 2011, 80% of
the groundwater was saline, 18% brackish and only
3% was fresh. Fortunately, demand for irrigation
seems to be decreasing steadily (7% in the period
2009-2011) very likely due to the adoption of demand
side management measures to encourage a more
efficient use of water by farms.
water demand by government, which accounted for
4.5% of total consumption, is also decreasing (18% in
the period 2009-2011). however, demand in all other
sectors is on the rise. consumption in the domestic,
commercial and industrial sector that accounted for
1%, 6.5%, and 0.5% of demand, increased 51%, 25%,
and 65% respectively in the period 2009-2011. At a
business as usual scenario water demand in the
Emirate of Abu Dhabi is expected to grow 30% by
2030.
All those sectors where demand is on the rise rely on
desalinated water. however, if groundwater is
depleted and agriculture starts depending solely on
desalinated water, sectoral competition for water may
become a daunting economic and environmental
challenge. Economic - due to the cost for government
of importing the natural gas required to desalinate
water and of subsidizing water. Environmental - since
desalinating water is an energy-intensive process that
contributes to climate change and brine discharges
contribute to the deterioration of marine life.
to address this challenge, the Abu Dhabi government
is adopting measures to drive a more efficient use of
water, in particular in the agriculture sector. one of
the measures is the implementation of the new
Agriculture and Food Safety Policy led by the Abu
Dhabi Food and control Authority (ADFcA). to
implement the Policy, ADFcA has established the
Farmer’ Services centre to provide agricultural
services and incentives to farmers to adopt best
agricultural practices.
Another measure will be the adoption of targets for
water consumption as part of the Abu Dhabi
Environment vision 2030 led by the Environment
Agency - Abu Dhabi that will call for the cooperation
of all competent authorities to formulate 5-year
strategies for the environment to achieve the targets.
And last but not least, in october 2012, the
Permanent committee for water and Agriculture
resources approved the creation of a water council
which will play a supervisory and coordination role
between its member entities (EAD, Abu Dhabi water
& Electricity Authority, Abu Dhabi Food and control
Authority, and Department of municipal Affairs) to
ensure integrated and coherent water policies in the
future.
the future will call for closer collaboration amongst
the competent authorities, the private sector and civil
society to ensure a more rational use of this precious
resource that is more important than oil to meet our
basic vital needs.
3
4
SETTIng OUT ThE ChAllEngES
wAtEr ScArcity iS
Driving rELiAncE on
non-convEntionAL
wAtEr SourcES
the uAE has a hyper arid climate with less than 100
mm/year rainfall, a low groundwater recharge rate of
less than 4% of the annual water used, and no reliable,
perennial surface water resources,
As shown in Figure 1 below, in 2008, the water
scarcity index in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi was 33
m3/capita/year. therefore, renewable fresh water
resources in the country are far below the water
scarcity threshold of 1,000 m3/capita/year, a measure
of per capita requirements to meet basic needs, and
far below the water scarcity index of most of its
neighbors.
Abu Dhabi has been able to overcome the limitations
imposed by its scarce renewable water resources by
increasing its reliance on non-conventional water
sources such as desalinated water and treated sewage
water. As shown in Figure 2 below, in 2011, 64% of
its supply came from groundwater, 29% from
desalinated water and 7% from treated sewage water.
the united Arab Emirate has the third largest capacity
of desalination after the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and
the united States. Abu Dhabi generates 100% of
desalinated water from combined cycle power and
desalination plants fuelled primarily by natural gas.
however, our growing dependency on desalinated
water for domestic consumption has a high economic
cost and an even higher environmental cost.
Levels
below
1,000
m3/capita/year begin to
hamper health, economic
development, and wellbeing
Source: FAo - AQuAStAt; env2030 team analysis
Source: SCAD, Abu Dhabi Statistical Yearbook 2010, 2011, 2012
Levels below 500
m3/capita/year will
constrain life
A CloSer look At tHe
real cost of desalinated water
Abu Dhabi’s growing dependency on desalinated water for domestic consumption has a high
economic cost. in 2008, 51% of the fuel consumed in the Emirate was used by the power and
water sector that relied on imported natural gas to produce electricity and desalinated water.
According to the regulation an Supervision bureau the average unit cost of water in 2011 was
10.43AED per m3. uAE nationals receive water for free while non-nationals pay 2.20AED per
m3. the difference is covered by large government subsidies.
this dependency also has a high environmental cost. Desalinating water is an energy-intensive
process. in 2010, almost 30% of the total greenhouse gas emissions in Abu Dhabi were the
responsibility of the power and water sector. this sector was the second contributor to climate
change after manufacturing and construction. Desalinating water is also a major source of sea water
pollution as it discharges brine and cooling water into the sea, raising salinity and temperature and
endangering marine biodiversity.
6
wAtEr DEmAnD morE
thAn triPLES worLD
AvErAgES
in spite of having one of the lowest water scarcity
indexes in the world, Abu Dhabi also has high per
capita water consumption rates. in 2008, water
consumption oscillated between 565-920 l/capita/day
while the world average ranged between 160-220
l/capita/day. this is due to outdoor use.
over the last decades, the expansion of agriculture
with a view to creating employment, protecting rural
heritage and making Abu Dhabi less dependent on
imported food has driven demand for groundwater
Source: SCAD, Abu Dhabi Statistical Yearbook 2010, 2011, 2012
Source: SCAD, Abu Dhabi Statistical Yearbook 2012
to unsustainable levels. Simultaneously, a burgeoning
population, rapid industrialization, and commercial
and residential megaprojects, and the low prices of
water due to government subsidies have created a
large demand for desalinated water.
As shown in Figure 3a below, in 2011, the demand for
water in Abu Dhabi was estimated to be 3,313 million
cubic meters. 67% of which was served by
groundwater supplies, 29% by desalinated water and
only 4% by recycled water.
As shown in Figure 3b below, in 2011, the demand for
water in Abu Dhabi was driven by the agriculture,
forest and parks irrigation that consumed the largest
share of available resources (72%), followed by the
domestic sector (16%), government (4.5%),
commercial (6.5%), industry (0.5%) and others (0.5%).
7
High per capita water comsuption rates in Abu Dhabi are largely due to outdoor use
8
AgricuLturE AccountS
For 72% oF wAtEr
conSumPtion but iS juSt
rESPonSibLE For LESS
thAn 1% oF gDP
in 2011, the Agriculture, Forests and Parks sector was
the largest consumer of water in Abu Dhabi. water
demand in this sector is decreasing steadily, likely due
to the adoption of demand side - management
measures. water demand by government is also
decreasing. however, demand in all other sectors is
on the rise.
All those sectors where demand is on the rise rely on
desalinated water. however, if groundwater is
depleted in the future as it may happen if abstractions
rates continue at the current level, and agriculture
starts depending solely in desalinated water, sectoral
competition for desalinated water may become a big
economic and environmental challenge.
consumption trends are shown in Figure 4a to 4f.
From 2009 to 2011 water consumption for
agriculture and landscape irrigation and for
government use decreased 7% and 18% respectively,
while consumption in the domestic, commercial,
industrial and other sectors increased 51%, 25%, 65%
and 105% respectively,
water demand by agricUltUre,
forests and parks
Although the Agriculture, Forests and Parks sector accounts for 72% of water
consumption in Abu Dhabi Emirate, agriculture is just responsible for less than 1% of
GDP and for less than 15% of the fruits and vegetables available in local markets. in 2011,
there were 24,394 farms in the Emirate with a total area of 75,284 hectares. the average water
consumption cultivated hectare was 10,126.5 m3. water for farm irrigation came from three sources:
• Groundwater supplies (94% of consumption). Abstractions exceed 25 times the average
groundwater recharge rate. this is exhausting the aquifers and at current consumption patterns
groundwater will be depleted. this is also affecting its quality as salinity is rapidly increasing. in
2011, 3% of groundwater was fresh, 18% brackish and 80% saline.
• Desalinated water (1% of consumption). this is still a small proportion but as
groundwater supplies diminish, competition for desalinated water from agriculture is expected
to increase.
• Treated sewage water (5% of consumption). the Emirate is looking at ways to increase
the use of recycled water for irrigation to reduce its reliance on underground and desalinated
water. however, in 2011, out of 243 mm3 of recycled water produced, only 133 mm3 (55%) was
reused. the remaining 110 mm3 (45%) was discharged to the Arabian gulf due to the lack of
proper infrastructure for transmission and distribution. these issues are currently being addressed.
when completed, around 10% of the water requirements for irrigation for agriculture, forests
and parks could be covered with recycled water.
10
wAtEr DEmAnD
ProjEctED to grow
30% by 2030
Source: eAD, Abu Dhabi environment Vision 2030: Water System Component
with planned socio-economic growth in the Emirate
and current consumption patterns, by 2030, water
consumption (groundwater, desalinated and recycled)
is expected to increase 30% from 2009 levels.
this will have economic, environmental and social
implications as the fiscal burden for the government
may substantially increase, the longevity of
groundwater may be dramatically reduced.
11
implications of increased
water demand
EnvironmEntAL imPLicAtionS
• Usable groundwater reserves will decrease leading to its depletion. in the absence of groundwater, agriculture
will be depending on desalinated water.
• The volume of brine and cooling water disposed into the Gulf will more than double intensifying the impact
on the marine ecosystem and on local fisheries.
• CO2 emissions from desalination will double further exacerbating climate change. Abu Dhabi coastal ecosystem
could be highly altered and the increases in temperatures, decreases in precipitations and raised sea levels caused by
climate change would have critical effects on human wellbeing, natural ecosystems, water resources and food production.
Economic imPLicAtionS
• New desalination capacity will be needed to meet higher demand. this will require large capital expenditures.
• Fuel consumption for desalination will triple contributing to natural gas depletion. this will require large
expenditures to import natural gas.
• Subsidies of AED 217 billion will be incurred in 20 years (assuming tariffs remain unchanged and not accounting
for inflation). if demand continues increasing at the current pace, subsidies will become a large fiscal burden for the
government.
SociAL imPLicAtionS
• Over abstraction will increase the salinity of groundwater reducing the availability of fresh water. this will
have an adverse effect in agriculture that represent a source of employment and income and contributes to the food
security of the country.
• The higher volumes of brine and cooling water disposed into the gulf will increase sea temperature. this
could intensify coral bleaching, which affects species’ reproduction. Fish stocks will be reduced and this will adversely
affect fisheries that represent a source of employment and income and contribute to the cultural heritage and food
security of the country.
• The higher volumes of CO2 emissions will increase global warming raising the atmospheric and sea temperature
even more. this will have accumulative effects on groundwater levels and marine fisheries.
12
SETTIng OUT ThE OppORTUnITIES
Abu DhAbi
EnvironmEnt
viSion 2030
government entity planning and coordination, as well
as will inform the private sector, the Abu Dhabi
population and international peers about the
aspirations of Abu Dhabi.
with the aim of mitigating the environmental impact
of planned socio-economic growth, in 2010, the
Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi (EAD) embarked
on an ambitious initiative to develop Abu Dhabi
Environment vision 2030 on behalf of the Executive
council. the vision provides an overall guiding
framework to consider and preserve the environment
when operating in the Emirate. Env2030 will guide
Priority
ArEA
PA 3
Efficient
management
and
conservation
of water
resources
Priority
P 3.1
integrated
and efficient
use of water
resources
P 3.2
Sustainable
management
of
groundwater
reserves
outcomE
Environment vision 2030 articulates five priority
areas, one of them focused on the efficient
management and conservation of water resources.
this requires broad cross-sector coordination instead
of isolated interventions of individual organizations.
through Abu Dhabi Environment vision 2030, we
expect to raise support from lead entities to develop
5-year strategies with the aim of improving water
efficiency and conservation.
mEASurE
bASELinE thrEShoLD
2010
2030
3.1.1 moderated average
domestic water consumption
Domestic water consumption in
L/capita/day
586
<340
3.1.2 moderated average daily
domestic outdoor water use in
villas and shabiyyat
Domestic outdoor water consumption
(villas and shabiyyat) in L/capita/day
756
<340
3.1.3 maximise use of recycled
water for amenities plantations
% of total water consumed for
amenities plantations
35%
67%
Sustainable groundwater
reserves
Effective years remaining in usable
groundwater reserves
<55
>120
increases in salinity of
groundwater reserves within
acceptable levels
Area (km2) of aquifer where water
quality is <1500 ppm tDS
concentration
nA
tbD
with Environment vision 2030, we expect to
achieve very ambitious but attainable targets:
• Halve desalinated water consumption for
domestic indoor and outdoor purposes: if
nothing is done, consumption of desalinated water for
indoor and outdoor use is expected to more than
triple by 2030. by implementing Abu Dhabi
Environment vision 2030 we expect to almost halve
consumption.
• Stop using desalinated water for landscape
irrigation: if nothing is done, consumption of
desalinated water for amenities plantations is expected
to more than triple by 2030. by implementing Abu
Dhabi Environment vision 2030 we expect to replace
it with recycled water.
• Double the lifespan of groundwater reserves: if
nothing is done, with planned socio-economic growth,
usable groundwater reserves will be depleted. by
implementing Abu Dhabi Environment vision 2030, we
expect to double the lifespan of our groundwater
reserves.
to achieve Environmental vision 2030, we
will have to achieve policy imperatives in the
following sectors:
• Energy and utilities
- Ensure proper demand side management for
efficient water consumption patterns.
- minimize water losses from desalination.
• Building and Infrastructure
- minimize discharges from recycled water.
- Adopt innovative clean solutions for water
production in light of energy plans.
- Ensure high indoor water efficiency in built
environment.
- Ensure high outdoor water use efficiency in
buildings, villas and shabiyyat.
• Industrial Sectors
- Encourage the establishment of water-efficient
industrial sectors.
• Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries
- optimize groundwater use for agriculture.
• Public Realm Amenities and Forestry
- Develop low water requirement amenities and
forestry sectors.
13
Solar desalination plant in the Western region provides water. food and shelter to wild animals
14
towArDS A nEw PoLicy
FrAmEworK For
AgricuLturE
mAnAgEmEnt
groundwater is a vital source of water for Abu Dhabi,
especially since agriculture and landscape irrigation
consume the largest share of available water. in 2011,
72% of the water demand in the Emirate was used for
farm irrigation, forestry and amenities and almost 93% of
that water came from underground wells. therefore,
agriculture and landscape irrigation policies calling for a
more sustainable use of water will have a large impact
on underground water reserves.
with this in mind, the Abu Dhabi government has
recently established a new governance framework for
agriculture endorsing the Abu Dhabi Food control
Authority (ADFcA) to lead the development of the
agriculture policy framework, and create the Farmers’
Services centre to implement the policy.
the Abu Dhabi government has also introduced new
laws and policies to make the agriculture sector more
competitive by increasing and diversifying production
while promoting a more rational use of water for
irrigation in line with Abu Dhabi’s Environment vision
2030.
• Law No.9 of 2007 Establishing Department of
Municipal Affairs
- in 2007, Section 5 of the Law establishing the
Department of municipal Affairs (DmA)
transferred powers and mandates around
agriculture to the Abu Dhabi Food control
Authority (ADFcA) who become the competent
authority for agriculture.
- Accordingly, ADFcA developed the agricultural
policy and prepared the plans for achieving
sustainable agricultural growth, while mitigating the
harmful effects of certain improper agricultural
practices on the environment. the new
agricultural policy was expected to take into
consideration certain imperatives: (i) restructure
the agricultural sector with a view to make it more
sustainable (ii) reduce harmful effects on the
environment and the pressure on natural
resources (iii) Ensure fair income for the farmers
and increase their competitiveness in the market
(iv) Focus on products that Abu Dhabi has a
competitive edge on (v) improve the quality of
agricultural products (vi) Strengthen national
productivity for better food security.
• Law No.4 of 2009 pertaining to the setting up
of the Farmers' Services Centre in the
Emirate of Abu Dhabi.
- in 2009, Law no. 4 established the Farmers'
Services centre and gave them responsibility for
implementing Abu Dhabi’s agricultural policy by
engaging farmers to adopt best agricultural
practices.
- there are around 24,000 farms in the emirate of
which around 8,500 are in the western region,
12,000 in Al Ain and 3,000 in Abu Dhabi.
- the centre began providing support to farms in
the western region and then their services
extended to Abu Dhabi and Al Ain. the type of
support provided by the Farmer’ centre is
explained in more detail in the section “water
Projects
Affecting
underground
water
management” on page 11.
• Agriculture and Food Safety Policy (2011)
- in 2011, ADFcA embarked on an ambitious
programme of policy development expanded
responsibility for the entire food chain from farm
to fork including the safety of foods imported into
the Emirate.
- the new Agriculture and Food Safety Policy for
the Emirate of Abu Dhabi consists of eleven
general policies and fifteen agriculture policies. the
latter covers agriculture production, protection
and common policies.
- Production relates to the activity of growing,
rearing and producing raw material for entry to
the food chain. there are four agriculture policies
related to production: Agricultural Land use
Policy, Agricultural water use Policy, Production
choice and Economic sustainability, the
Agriculture Policy recognizes the challenge of
supporting agriculture growth in a context of
water scarcity and addresses the potential
environmental concerns in the first three policies:
Agricultural Land use Policy, Agricultural water
use Policy and Production choice .
• Agriculture Water Use Policy (2011)
- the Agricultural water use Policy has the
objective to maximise efficiency and support
sustainability. it covers the following aspects: (i)
barriers to efficient agricultural water use; (ii)
water targets for use; (iii) water use impact
Assessment addresses economic, social and
environmental factors in reaching decisions on
agriculture activities using water; (iv) Data for
water impact assessments; (v) Liaison with other
departments and agencies.
- to achieve its objectives, the Agricultural water
use Policy will combine supply and demand side
management measures:
i) Supply side management measures are focused on
increasing the availability of water for crop
irrigation for example through non-conventional
sources such as desalinated seawater and treated
sewage water.
ii) Demand side management measures are focused
on developing and implementing programmes to
use water resources more efficiently, for example
through the adoption and introduction of crops
that do not require much water and have the
ability to withstand high salinity in irrigation water,
through farmer’s training; through the
introduction of modern technologies to increase
water efficiency or through the establishment of
water quotas for farms.
15
Abu Dhabi protected Agriculture Center promotes hydroponic or soilless agriculture that uses 90% less water
16
towArDS A nEw
govErnAncE
FrAmEworK For wAtEr
rESourcE mAnAgEmEnt
the current system of water governance within the
Emirate of Abu Dhabi has reasonably clear lines of
demarcation between the entities responsible for each
type of water:
• groundwater for agriculture, forestry and amenities
is controlled by ADFcA, EAD, and DmA;
• Seawater for potable water supply for residential and
commercial customers is controlled by the regulation
and Supervision bureau (rSb) and Abu Dhabi water
and Electricity Authority (ADwEA);
• waste water collection and treatment is controlled
by the Abu Dhabi Sewage Services company
(ADSSc).
however, in the area of groundwater management there
are overlaps and gaps between the activities of the
various federal and emirate level environmental
organizations such as establishing regulations, controlling
resource use, collecting and managing data etc. many of
the overlaps and gaps result from organizations operating
as silos with limited communication between the various
management and user groups. it is imperative that
planning involves input and knowledge from these
various groups.
to address these issues, the Abu Dhabi government has
made significant progress to provide an effective
governance framework to bring greater clarity as to the
roles and responsibilities of the entities managing
underground water and better coordination. this will
help streamline water management and regulations to
control abstractions from and discharges to the
environment (whether air, water, soils, wildlife, or seas).
• Executive Decisions No. 14 (session 8/2005)
and No. 4 (Session 17/2005)
- in 2005, Executive Decisions no. 14 and 4
commissioned EAD to undertake an assessment
of groundwater resources and made it the
competent authority for managing groundwater in
Abu Dhabi, including water security initiatives.
• Law No. 6 of 2006 for Drilling of Wells and
subsequent by-laws and amendments
- in 2006, Law no. 6 authorized EAD to regulate
the licensing and drilling of water wells and to
monitor usage. the Law also gave EAD employees
powers to access any land, farm or facility to
conduct research or collect data on deep water
resources.
- From then, a license must be obtained before
carrying out any works, including drilling of new
wells and deepening of existing wells. the Law
specified the license application process and
provisions for obtaining licenses, as well as
penalties for violation.
- in fact, one of the difficulties encountered for the
sustainable management of groundwater reserves
in Abu Dhabi is illegal abstraction and selling of
water. to address this issue, Law no. 6 is being
reviewed so that illegal abstraction and selling of
underground water can be prosecuted and
penalized.
• Water Resource Master Plan (2009)
- Developed by EAD in 2009 the water resources
master Plan was aimed at developing a plan for
improving the quantity and quality of water
resources in an economically and environmentally
friendly way.
- the plan highlighted the fact that agriculture is
living on borrowed time. the current farming
system and its role in food security cannot be
maintained because at the current rate of
abstraction groundwater will be depleted in 55
years. All the parties need to work together to
address this inconvenient truth in a way that
minimizes the damage to the full-time farmers that
still depend on agriculture for their livelihood and
that addresses food security in a more sustainable
way.
- the plan also proposed institutional and
governance reforms by forming a water council
responsible for strategic planning and development
across all the water sources and users.
• Water Council (2012)
- in line with the aspirations of the Emirate of Abu
Dhabi to integrate efforts for the efficient
management and conservation of water resources,
a Permanent committee for water and
Agriculture resources was established by Decree
no. (87) of December 24, 2009.
- in october, 2012 the Permanent committee for
water and Agriculture resources approved the
creation of a water council which would be
responsible for strategic planning and development
across all the water sources and users.
- the water council will be independent and will
play a coordinating role and supervisory role
between its member entities to ensure integrated
and coherent water policies in the future. the
water council would replace the various existing
cross-cutting committees and would support
strategic thinking across the whole of the water
sector rather than the compartmentalized system
that currently exists.
- the water council will oversee the
implementation of strategies and projects to
address existing gaps in the mandate of entities. it
will provide the independent guidance and
oversight to come up with the economically best
solutions to meet water needs across the many
economic sectors.
17
Water pond obtained from a solar desalination plant in the Western region
18
wAtEr ProjEctS
conSErving
grounD wAtEr
SUPPLy SIDE MANAGEMENT
INITIATIvES
• until recently, water policy in Abu Dhabi has been
largely based on infrastructure developments to
ensure water supply.
strategic water reserve for abu dhabi
• Abu Dhabi water and Electricity Authority (ADwEA)
led a project to create a strategic water reserve to
use in the case of an emergency situation in
cooperation with EAD. in 2012, 17 billion liters of
desalinated water were injected into the Liwa
groundwater Aquifer, increasing the capacity to
supply Abu Dhabi’s emergency water needs from 30
to 90 days.
solar desalination plants
• Desalinated water will always play an important role
in ensuring access to water in Abu Dhabi. new clean
water generation technologies will play a major role
in the next few decades to address demand.
• EAD has initiated the construction of 22 experimental
solar desalination plants that use brackish saline water
from groundwater aquifers and transforms it into
fresh potable water through reverse osmosis. A
subsurface irrigation system then pumps the clean
water to a pond.
• this water is used as watering holes for wild animals
and to irrigate natural vegetation to create food and
shelter. these projects also provide information about
the feasibility of using renewable energy to supply
future water needs
19
DEMAND SIDE MANAGEMENT
INITIATIvES
in recent years, water policy has also attempted to
rationalize water consumption through demand side
management initiatives as these are more cost-efficient
options than supply side alternatives.
strategic plan for the farmers’ service center
• in 201i, the Abu Dhabi Food control Authority
(ADFcA) started a Strategic Plan to be implemented
by the Farmers’ Services center aiming to achieve a
40 per cent presence of locally-produced fruits and
vegetables in the markets of the Emirate by 2015 from
the current share of about 15 per cent and reduce 40
percent water consumption by 2013.
• to implement the strategy, the FSc will provide
agricultural services and strengthen awareness,
besides helping farmers market their produce. with
this in mind, the FSc launched the Zera’atona (“our
agriculture”) campaign seeking to ensure economic
diversification and agricultural sustainability through
preserving vital natural resources by motivating
farmers to adopt best agricultural practices, deemed
essential to preserve their land, improve agricultural
produce, protect the environment in general,
preserve water in particular, and ensure better
income for the farmers,
phasing out of subsidies for the cultivation of
crops with high water consumption (rhodes
grass)
• regulation no. 7 of 2010 phased out subsidies for the
cultivation of crops with high water consumption
particularly rhodes grass. rhodes, which was found
to consume more that 59% of water irrigation in
agriculture, was stopped at about 15,500 farms.
• the Farmer’ Services center is also working with
ADFcA and the international centre for biosaline
research, to introduce feed that have high tolerance
to salinity and drought.
• to compensate farmers’ losses, a programme for
improving farmers' income came into effect on April
1, 2012 for the Emirate provided they comply with
the rules and regulations governing agriculture
including the directives and advices of the Farmers'
Services centre in regard to irrigation.
rationalizing the use of water for irrigation of
palm trees
• ADFcA, through the FSc, is also working on
rationalizing the use of water irrigation for palm trees,
responsible for almost 34% of water consumption, the
second highest water consumer after rhodes grass.
A total of 5443 out of 8373 farms in the western
region have been provided with modern irrigation
networks which are expected to help reduce water
irrigation consumption by 50%.
replacing drip irrigation with subsurface irrigation
• EAD and the Abu Dhabi municipality (ADm) are
introducing subsurface irrigation as an alternative to
traditional drip irrigation. this will help reduce large
water losses resulting from high evaporation.
adopting new technologies for greenhouse
agriculture
• ADFcA and EAD have partnered to set up the Abu
Dhabi Protected Agriculture center to promote the
use of greenhouses and soilless agriculture, a
technique that involves growing plants in hydroponic
and soil alternatives. the process uses 90% less water
for the same volume of crops produced.
Using treated wastewater in agriculture
• recycled water is used well below its potential. in
2009, only 55% percent of treated wastewater water
was reused for irrigation. the remaining 45% was
discharged to the Arabian gulf due to the lack of
proper infrastructure for transmission.
• ADFcA also looking into the use of treated
wastewater in agriculture and is currently
implementing a project to irrigate 216 farms with
treated waste water in Al nahda and Al wathba
areas.

Advancing Sustainable Groundwater Management in Abu Dhabi

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