Contracts worth $1.7m have been awarded by the Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) for the design and construction of two water reservoirs in the emirate. The larger reservoir will be located in Al Nakhli and will have a storage capacity of 120-million gallons of desalinated water, while the Al Lusaily reservoir will have a capacity of 60-million gallons.

The project is said to support DEWA’s efforts to enhance the efficiency and reliability of the water network and raise the volume of the emirate’s water reserves, while supporting sustainable development.

“DEWA follows a strategic plan, which is a vital part of the Dubai Plan 2021. It also aims to establish Dubai’s leading position in the region, as an example of an effective and efficient infrastructure for electricity and water networks, to meet current and future requirements for all aspects of development in the emirate,” said Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, managing director and chief executive of DEWA.

Both reservoirs will be designed and built as per the latest standards of sustainability and is expected to take 32 months. Once both reservoirs are brought online, DEWA’s total storage capacity will increase to 1.01-billion gallons of water compared to the current capacity of 820-million.