Building a long-lasting water transmission infrastructure for a sustainable water future

Strategic Water Projects for Etihad Water and Electricity

With population growth in the emirates of Ajman, Umm Al Quwain, Ras Al Khaimah, and Fujairah as well as several new commercial and industrial megaprojects planned, the region requires significant water infrastructure. Etihad Water and Electricity (EtihadWE) needs their water production and transmission infrastructure to meet short-, medium-, and long-term water demands.

We were appointed by EtihadWE to design, tender, and oversee the construction of a water transmission network across the Emirates. The network will deliver 682,000 cubic meters of water per day, produced by a new desalination plant. With our Dubai office leading a global design team, we collaborated to design and supervise 22 reservoirs and four pumping stations interconnected by 406 kilometers of pipelines, as well as an integrated control system. This scheme links major areas served by EtihadWE, making them more efficient in controlling and distributing water—the digital platform will monitor and reduce water losses and prioritize maintenance work.

These 29 vital projects combine to form a new water transmission network, supporting water security and providing water for residential, industrial, and agricultural sectors. The network allows EtihadWE to halt operation of older thermal desalination plants, reducing the associated emissions of carbon dioxide.