UAE Unveils NAQA'A: A Pioneering Seawater Desalination Plant Using SWRO Technology

His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice President, Deputy Prime Minister, and Chairman of the Presidential Court, recently inaugurated the "NAQA'A" Seawater Reverse Osmosis (SWRO) desalination plant in Umm Al Qaiwain. This facility is noted for being among the world's largest desalination projects utilizing SWRO technology. It boasts a capacity of 150 million gallons of desalinated water daily, operating under the independent producer system.

The inauguration ceremony saw the presence of Suhail bin Mohammed Al Mazrouei, Minister of Energy and Infrastructure and Chairman of the Board of Directors of Etihad Water and Electricity, Yousef Ahmed Al Ali, CEO of the company, and several high-ranking officials. Sheikh Mansour received a comprehensive briefing on the plant's operational mechanism and its developmental phases from the CEO and project team.

The project's initial phase kicked off in the latter half of 2021, achieving an experimental daily production capacity of 50 million gallons. By the end of 2022, the second phase was completed, enabling the plant to reach its full production capacity. This significant achievement was made possible through a collaboration between Etihad Water and Electricity, Mubadala, and ACWA Power from Saudi Arabia.

Sheikh Mansour expressed his pride in "NAQA'A", highlighting it as a reflection of the UAE's commitment to sustainable water resource management for future generations. He emphasized that this project is a crucial step towards enhancing the country's ability to tackle future water sector challenges, aligning with its proactive approach towards sustainability.

Furthermore, Sheikh Mansour mentioned that President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan recently announced the "Mohamed bin Zayed Water Initiative" to address water scarcity issues. The inauguration of "NAQA'A" underscores the UAE's dedication to implementing its water security strategies effectively.

During his speech at the ceremony, Sheikh Mansour praised the UAE's national competencies and stressed the importance of ongoing development in key sectors like water, research, development, and innovation. Al Mazrouei echoed these sentiments by acknowledging the leadership's support for infrastructure advancements in the water sector, which significantly contributes to citizen welfare.

"NAQA'A" is set to play a pivotal role in strengthening the UAE's water sector infrastructure with an annual production capacity of approximately 50 billion gallons. This capacity is expected to meet the needs of around 2 million residents in the country's northern regions. The plant not only enhances water security but also aligns with national sustainability goals by supporting comprehensive sustainability strategies.

Al Mazrouei lauded Emirates Water and Electricity company's efforts towards achieving water sector targets and its commitment to reducing carbon emissions through eco-friendly technologies. Al Ali highlighted that "NAQA'A" represents a key strategic achievement for the company, now fully operational at its intended production capacity. He detailed that their efforts over roughly 13 years were driven by a long-term plan aimed at transitioning from less efficient thermal technologies to significantly reduce their carbon footprint by 75%.

With inputs from WAM