WAM ABU DHABI, 15th January, 2014 (WAM) — The Regulation and Supervision Bureau (the Bureau) has announced the conclusion of the U.A.E.’s first Residential End Use of Water (REUW) Project, an in-depth survey that aims to collect reliable data on residential water consumption in Abu Dhabi.
The initiative, which is led and managed by the Bureau’s Waterwise office, involved the study of water use in 150 villas in selected gated communities around Abu Dhabi. It was designed to collect accurate water consumption statistics, investigate the socio-demographics of water use, determine the split between indoor and outdoor water use and help identify and explore the scale of water leaks. The data, once analysed, will be used to inform decisions and strategies for future water management and conservation programmes in the emirate.
Khadijah bin Braik, Waterwise Manager, explains, "The REUW Project is the first of its kind in the U.A.E.. The information gathered will provide a real insight into the actual day-to-day use of water in a typical residence in a gated community. We have used the latest technology to help delve into detail. With this project we will be able to disaggregate participating households’ water consumption for each end-use event and each appliance, determine average consumption per capita and per household and examine the factors influencing water use." The project lasted over a year. Following an initial pilot phase, households were recruited in the second quarter of 2013 when a basic survey and installation of a smart water flow meter and data logger were carried out. Data was collected in three monitoring periods that ran from June to December 2013 and was then analysed using flow trace analysis software. Final results are expected to be available in the second quarter of 2014.
Rashed Hamad Al Rashdi, Deputy Director-General of the Bureau, said, "Through our Waterwise office we currently have a number of projects and initiatives that are ï؟ ½live’ in the emirate. These are producing real, tangible data that is helping to design solutions that will positively affect our future water use. Understanding how and why water is used is imperative to the success of future sustainable water strategies. Projects like this one are invaluable in shaping the future of the U.A.E.." The REUW project and other initiatives managed by the Waterwise office will be featured at this year’s 2nd International Water Summit.
WAM/Esraa/Moran
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