UAE Puts Water Under Federal Control

In a move that will strengthen oil-rich Abu Dhabi as the most powerful emirate in the UAE, a loose federation of largely autonomous sheikdoms. In a statement , the UAE Ministry of Environment and Water said it was reviewing a draft law that would transfer water management from the sheikdoms to the central government to improve planning and efficiency.

With average consumption of 550 liters per person per day, water-poor UAE has one of the world’s highest domestic water consumption rates in the world, most of which is produced by desalination. After Saudi Arabia, the UAE with 30 desalination plants is the world’s largest desalinator. Abu Dhabi alone produces up to nine million tons of greenhouse gasses a year as a result of desalination.

UAE Environment and Water Minister Rashid bin Fahad said the new law was necessary because even within the various sheikdoms responsibility for water is shared by various authorities. Abu Dhabi is the emirate that has an independent authority to regulate desalination, water and electricity authorities.

Analysts says the law is likely to be resisted by some sheikdoms. “The question becomes how to get all emirates to subscribe to it,” says Shawki Barghouti, the director general of the International Center for Biosaline Agriculture in Dubai.