Following achieving a major construction milestone, Acciona says that the Jebel Ali Sea Water Reverse Osmosis (SWRO) desalination plant is now producing water at 100% capacity. The desalination plant was built by Acciona and Besix and is owned by Dubai Electricity & Water Authority (DEWA).
According to a statement, the plant has begun its daily production of 182m liters of potable water and is already supplying the city’s water network. With the launch of the plant’s operations, it has become one of the largest reverse osmosis desalination plants in the UAE. Acciona said its scope of work included the design and construction of the facility.
“In Dubai, we have a comprehensive approach to ensure the sustainability of water resources in line with the Dubai Integrated Water Resource Management Strategy, which focuses on enhancing water resources, rationalising water consumption, and using cutting-edge technologies and innovative solutions to reduce water consumption by 30% by 2030,” said Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, MD & CEO of DEWA.
Acciona’s project director Francisco Javier Nieto added, “This milestone is the result of good teamwork between the client, our engineers and the construction teams in adverse conditions resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. We are very proud to contribute to the supply of drinking water to Dubai in a sustainable and innovative way. This achievement reflects the shared commitment of Dewa, engineering firm ILF, and the construction consortium formed by Acciona and Besix, to deliver the Jebel Ali desalination plant to the highest technical standards of excellence.”
He concluded, “The health and safety of workers at the site has also been of paramount importance during the pandemic. Construction of the desalination plant recently surpassed 6.5m man-hours without lost-time injuries.”