Dubai Municipality aims to recycle 100% of wastewater by 2030, as part of the sustainability strategy.
The water reclamation programme aims to utilise natural resources in the city, and over the years has recycled 90% of the wastewater, reducing the reliance on groundwater and desalinated water, where the dissolved mineral salts in water are removed.
Recycling wastewater also reduces the amount of electricity required for desalination and decreases greenhouse gas emissions. By 2030, Dubai will also reduce the use of desalinated water and power consumption required during the process by 30%.
Reclaimed water is used in irrigation and landscaping around the city, as well as in central cooling stations and firefighting. In 2022, over 6 million cubic metres of reclaimed water was used in central cooling stations, reducing costs by Dhs 7.1 million.
From 1980 and 2022, Dubai has produced over 4.5 billion cubic metres of reclaimed water, and aims to double its production to 8 billion cubic metres by 2030.
Water reclamation in Dubai began when the first wastewater treatment plant was built in Al Khawaneej in 1969. A second plant was opened in 1981 in Warsan, followed by the Jebel Ali plant in 2006. Expansions to the Warsan and Jebel Ali plants were held respectively in 2015 and 2016.
His Excellency Dawoud Al Hajri, Director General of Dubai Municipality said, "As Dubai sets its sights on becoming one of the most sustainable cities in the world, we continue to launch new initiatives to raise water reuse rates and progressively diminish the city’s reliance on desalination and precious groundwater."