Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (Dewa) has awarded a consultancy contract worth Dh6.3 million ($1.7 million) for the designing and construction of two water reservoirs in the emirate.

The first reservoir, with a storage capacity of 120 million gallons of desalinated water, will be located at Al Nakhli, while the second, with a storage capacity of 60 million gallons, will be at Al Lusaily area of Dubai.

Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, the managing director and chief executive, said: "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."

This project supports Dewa's efforts to enhance the efficiency and reliability of the water network, increase water flow to fulfil increasing demand for water in all parts of Dubai, and raise the volume of the emirate’s water reserves and support sustainable development, he added.

The construction and operation of both reservoirs is expected to be completed within 32 months. The  designing of the reservoirs will be as per the latest standards of sustainability, said the statement from Dewa.

Once the project gets completed, Dewa's total storage capacity will increase to 1.01 billion gallons, compared to the current capacity of 820 million gallons, it added.-TradeArabia News Service