ABU DHABI // Irrigating the emirate’s plants, gardens and farms will exhaust groundwater reservoirs within the next 50 years, according to a study.
The research, conducted by the Environment Agency Abu Dhabi (EAD), has prompted urgent action, whereby anyone wishing to build a water well will now have to apply to the agency for permission. A plan to use treated sewage water for farms is also being put in place.
For well tenders, each case will be looked at individually and assessed for its impact on the dwindling water supply. If areas are marked as depleted or in what the EAD has labelled as “red zones,” where it is illegal to draw any water from underground sources, then the well tender will be refused.
According to Dr Mohamed Dawoud, EAD adviser for water resources, the UAE consumes 2.1 billion cubic metres of water a year and using treated sewage could be one way to alleviate the stress on natural reserves.
“We need to give it time to replenish, we need it to become of better quality, and we need more information,” he said.
The plan, Dr Dawoud said, was to build pipelines to farming areas from the desalination plant in Musaffah to other parts of Abu Dhabi in need of water. This would allow those underground reserves to replenish, but the pipeline would take two to three years to complete.
That pipeline is set to provide 140 million cubic metres of water to those areas, thus doubling the amount of sewage water farms will have before 2020.
During that time, the EAD would continue to assess about 100,000 wells, some of which are 40 years old.
“Our job is also to educate [farmers], for the time being all the responses have been very positive, they have to be educated,” said Sheikha Al Hosani, acting executive director of environment quality sector at EAD. “We are taking it slowly. Enforcement has to be gradual until you build the knowledge and awareness.”
The EAD is teaching farmers about best practices and how to reduce water consumption to minimise the strain on already over-consumed aquifers.
The government decided to take action to reduce the demand for water by substituting water with treated sewage. Part of the problem, however, is that farmers have a negative connotation on treated water.
“We’ve already conducted research on this, and we found that [results] using treated water for irrigation of forestry – compared with using groundwater – were a lot better,” said Ms Al Hosani. “Now it’s a matter of education.”
In the longer term, the agency will spend the next three years mapping groundwater sources across Abu Dhabi emirate. It will then carry out a soil-mapping project with data from 25,000 farms and classify wells by type, water quantity and quality, as well as the extraction rate and the change in water levels. The data will then be compiled into a “water atlas” for the emirate.
“We are not only studying, we are also taking actions to make sure that individuals are not overconsuming water resources,” said Ms Al Hosani.
She said that most of the people they worked with understood the importance of replenishing aquifers [groundwater reservoirs], which account for 65 per cent of the emirate’s water budget and are largely used in agriculture, forestry and landscape irrigation.
The findings will be analysed to set targets and establish policies on the groundwater project.
“This all-encompassing inventory project is going to have a positive impact for all those involved, with the end goal of finding more efficient ways to grow local crops while reducing wastage of our scarce water resources,” said Razan Al Mubarak, secretary-general of EAD.
nalwasmi@thenational.ae
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Ziina users can donate to relief efforts in Beirut
Ziina users will be able to use the app to help relief efforts in Beirut, which has been left reeling after an August blast caused an estimated $15 billion in damage and left thousands homeless. Ziina has partnered with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees to raise money for the Lebanese capital, co-founder Faisal Toukan says. “As of October 1, the UNHCR has the first certified badge on Ziina and is automatically part of user's top friends' list during this campaign. Users can now donate any amount to the Beirut relief with two clicks. The money raised will go towards rebuilding houses for the families that were impacted by the explosion.”
The specs
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Power: 180hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 250Nm at 3,00rpm
Transmission: 5-speed sequential auto
Price: From Dh139,995
On sale: now
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Did you know?
Brunch has been around, is some form or another, for more than a century. The word was first mentioned in print in an 1895 edition of Hunter’s Weekly, after making the rounds among university students in Britain. The article, entitled Brunch: A Plea, argued the case for a later, more sociable weekend meal. “By eliminating the need to get up early on Sunday, brunch would make life brighter for Saturday night carousers. It would promote human happiness in other ways as well,” the piece read. “It is talk-compelling. It puts you in a good temper, it makes you satisfied with yourself and your fellow beings, it sweeps away the worries and cobwebs of the week.” More than 100 years later, author Guy Beringer’s words still ring true, especially in the UAE, where brunches are often used to mark special, sociable occasions.
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Company Profile
Name: Thndr
Started: 2019
Co-founders: Ahmad Hammouda and Seif Amr
Sector: FinTech
Headquarters: Egypt
UAE base: Hub71, Abu Dhabi
Current number of staff: More than 150
Funds raised: $22 million
How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
Seven tips from Emirates NBD
1. Never respond to e-mails, calls or messages asking for account, card or internet banking details
2. Never store a card PIN (personal identification number) in your mobile or in your wallet
3. Ensure online shopping websites are secure and verified before providing card details
4. Change passwords periodically as a precautionary measure
5. Never share authentication data such as passwords, card PINs and OTPs (one-time passwords) with third parties
6. Track bank notifications regarding transaction discrepancies
7. Report lost or stolen debit and credit cards immediately
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Blackpink World Tour [Born Pink] In Cinemas
Starring: Rose, Jisoo, Jennie, Lisa
Directors: Min Geun, Oh Yoon-Dong
Rating: 3/5
Israel Palestine on Swedish TV 1958-1989
Director: Goran Hugo Olsson
Rating: 5/5
Honeymoonish
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Anxiety and work stress major factors
Anxiety, work stress and social isolation are all factors in the recogised rise in mental health problems.
A study UAE Ministry of Health researchers published in the summer also cited struggles with weight and illnesses as major contributors.
Its authors analysed a dozen separate UAE studies between 2007 and 2017. Prevalence was often higher in university students, women and in people on low incomes.
One showed 28 per cent of female students at a Dubai university reported symptoms linked to depression. Another in Al Ain found 22.2 per cent of students had depressive symptoms - five times the global average.
It said the country has made strides to address mental health problems but said: “Our review highlights the overall prevalence of depressive symptoms and depression, which may long have been overlooked."
Prof Samir Al Adawi, of the department of behavioural medicine at Sultan Qaboos University in Oman, who was not involved in the study but is a recognised expert in the Gulf, said how mental health is discussed varies significantly between cultures and nationalities.
“The problem we have in the Gulf is the cross-cultural differences and how people articulate emotional distress," said Prof Al Adawi.
“Someone will say that I have physical complaints rather than emotional complaints. This is the major problem with any discussion around depression."
Daniel Bardsley
The National in Davos
We are bringing you the inside story from the World Economic Forum's Annual Meeting in Davos, a gathering of hundreds of world leaders, top executives and billionaires.
What is Diwali?
The Hindu festival is at once a celebration of the autumn harvest and the triumph of good over evil, as outlined in the Ramayana.
According to the Sanskrit epic, penned by the sage Valmiki, Diwali marks the time that the exiled king Rama – a mortal with superhuman powers – returned home to the city of Ayodhya with his wife Sita and brother Lakshman, after vanquishing the 10-headed demon Ravana and conquering his kingdom of Lanka. The people of Ayodhya are believed to have lit thousands of earthen lamps to illuminate the city and to guide the royal family home.
In its current iteration, Diwali is celebrated with a puja to welcome the goodness of prosperity Lakshmi (an incarnation of Sita) into the home, which is decorated with diyas (oil lamps) or fairy lights and rangoli designs with coloured powder. Fireworks light up the sky in some parts of the word, and sweetmeats are made (or bought) by most households. It is customary to get new clothes stitched, and visit friends and family to exchange gifts and greetings.
The specs
Engine: 2.7-litre 4-cylinder Turbomax
Power: 310hp
Torque: 583Nm
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
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TRAP
Starring: Josh Hartnett, Saleka Shyamalan, Ariel Donaghue
Director: M Night Shyamalan
Rating: 3/5
The specs
Engine: 1.5-litre turbo
Power: 181hp
Torque: 230Nm
Transmission: 6-speed automatic
Starting price: Dh79,000
On sale: Now
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Brief scores:
Manchester City 3
Bernardo Silva 16', Sterling 57', Gundogan 79'
Bournemouth 1
Wilson 44'
Man of the match: Leroy Sane (Manchester City)
'Shakuntala Devi'
Starring: Vidya Balan, Sanya Malhotra
Director: Anu Menon
Rating: Three out of five stars