I remember from last year that there was a report that the UAE has the highest per capita water usage in the world. Today I saw this article that claims that Al Ain is the city with the highest per capita usage of water. Can that be right? I've poked around a bit and cannot find anything that would confirm this.
I know that a lot of water is used to keep the city so green, water that honestly should not be used this way. Long term this is causing huge problems and the sooner that the amount of greenery is reduced, the better. There is going to be a reckoning some day before too long for all this.
It doesn't help that the municipality is almost giving water away. We have been paying a flat 50 dirhams a month for our (non-drinking) water here - this for a family of six.
This blog began as a description of our life in Al Ain, UAE (United Arab Emirates). Brn worked at the UAE University Libraries Deanship for three years and Bss homeschooled our four children, D, B, P, and O. After returning to the the USA for five years, we are living in Abu Dhabi now.
3 comments:
My guess would be that Al Ain's usage is skewed by the high amount of agriculture there and the relatively tiny population.
If water wastage per capita was measured, to include things such as golf courses and civic landscaping irrigation etc, then surely Dubai would win hands down.
But you are right, even Al Ain should probably try and be a bit less thirsty.
Hmm mind you since writing that I've just remembered Green Mubazzarah... ;)
Thankful for small mercies, we are glad Al Ain charges a fixed rate for water. There's a whole lot of greenery in Al Ain and this may partly account for the high figures.
An extra Dh 50 for water each month could seriously affect the already strained budgets of most non-national Al Ain residents (not everyone works for the Uni, BRN).
The trick in conservation is to use just what you need--irrespective of how much you pay for it.
And SD: Green Mubazzarah, though artificial, is a blessing in this desert region, especially for those who cannot afford trips out of the country or city. High evaporation from the Mubazzarah lake, as well as moisture from Al Ain's trees and oases, account for the frequent rain showers we experience during summer, sometimes as often as 5 times a week, in July/August (the showers, heavy and brief, cover only parts of the city each time, and hence are not always reported in the papers). That's another thing about Al Ain that we love--summer showers.
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