Etihad Water and Electricity (EtihadWE) has announced a plan to reduce water leaks across its distribution network. This is part of a wider Transformation Roadmap that includes improvements to water infrastructure and community engagement, the company said.
The plan will implement the employment of SmartBall and data loggers to alert the company to potential leaks across its water distribution network in the Northern Emirates. The company also shared its plan to install more meters and reduce the size of the area that each serves, in order to pinpoint where leaks are located.
EtihadWE noted that its large-scale smart meter rollout programme is near completion.
“Our comprehensive plan to reduce non-revenue water is part of an ambitious five-years transformation Roadmap to make our infrastructure – our pipeline network, equipment, and monitoring – stronger and more efficient across the Northern Emirates,” said Eng. Yousif Al Ali, CEO of Etihad WE.
Adding: “We plan to make significant investments to ensure we cater to the needs of our customers while working towards the goals of the UAE’s national water security and sustainability strategies.”
This is part of the plan to merge EtihadWE’s District Metering project with its SCADA system, which will bring the company’s operations across six locations together onto one platform to provide information on the current state of the network in real time. It includes an online leak detection system, hydraulic modelling, and pressure and flow management.
Non-revenue water (NRW)—water that is lost in the water distribution system before it reaches the customer—is a serious issue, especially in the MENA region, one of the most water-scarce regions globally. Indeed, previous estimates have put water loss at as high as 60 per cent in some countries in the region.
“Implementing monitoring and control technologies is essential for acquiring proactive and reliable data on loss and leakage rates. This is a crucial step in advancing and refining our water management systems, thereby enhancing water security,” commented Eng. Abdulla Al Khemeiri, COO, on the announcement.