Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (Dewa) has awarded a Dh288 million (($78.3 million) contract for the construction of two rectangular, reinforced concrete 60-million-gallon reservoirs in Al Nakhali area of the emirate.

These reservoirs are capable of holding 120 million gallons of desalinated water, said the statement from Dewa.

Work is expected to proceed according to project schedules, and the construction and operation of the reservoirs are likely to be completed within 24 months.

Dewa’s total storage capacity, as a result, will increase to 1.01 billion gallons, compared to the current capacity of 830 million gallons. This is also expected to increase to 890 million gallons after the completion of the 60-million-gallon reservoir in Al Lusaily, it added.

On the project, Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, the managing director and CEO, said: "This project supports the directives of HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, and is in response to the continued growth in demand for water to meet the needs of ambitious urban, economic, and social projects, in line with DEWA’s strategy to provide water reservoirs."

"It also enhances the efficiency and reliability of water network and increases water flow to fulfil the increasing demand for water across all of Dubai," he added.-TradeArabia News Service