Groundwater meets 71 per cent of Abu Dhabi’s total water needs

The Environment Agency - Abu Dhabi (EAD) has affirmed that groundwater meets approximately 71 per cent of the emirate’s total water needs. The increased demand, coupled with prolonged periods of scarce or no rainfall, has led groundwater replenishment rates and groundwater levels to decline.

A report by the Climate Change Adaptation Plan for the Environment Sector 2025-2050 explained that the increasing demand for groundwater and its extraction from its reservoirs has exacerbated the scarcity of naturally renewable water resources. This has posed significant environmental challenges that contributed to increased salinity and pollution, declining water levels, depleted stocks, and deteriorated groundwater reserves. Consequently, some areas in the emirate have been classified as depleted.

Abu Dhabi faces water scarcity due to its location in the arid belt, which is characterized by low natural replenishment rates of groundwater aquifers. This is attributed to low rainfall rates, which do not exceed 90 to 140 million cubic meters annually.

Studies indicate a general trend towards declining groundwater levels across the emirate due to excessive extraction of groundwater for agricultural, forestry, garden irrigation and ornamental plantation purposes, exceeding its natural replenishment rate.

According to the report, approximately 97 per cent of Abu Dhabi’s groundwater reserves are highly or moderately saline and unsuitable for most uses without desalination.

Only 3 per cent of these reserves is freshwater, while groundwater salinity is generally high in coastal areas due to seawater intrusion.

Inland areas are not free of saline zones, particularly near sabkhas (salt flats). High salinity limits the use of this water for agricultural activities in many areas, necessitating alternative sources or the cultivation of salt-resistant crops.

Groundwater accounts for approximately 58 per cent of the total water resources used, while saline water represents approximately 33 per cent and recycled water 9 per cent.

Approximately 65 per cent of water resources are allocated for irrigation purposes in the agricultural sector, forests and parks. The emirate is suffering from a worsening problem due to increased groundwater pumping rates, as a result of agricultural expansion and rising demand for water. Current consumption reached 1,870 million cubic meters annually in 2023, which represents approximately 20 times the natural replenishment of groundwater reservoirs.

The report explained that the rising temperatures, changing rainfall patterns, increased evaporation rates, decreased replenishment of groundwater aquifers and increased water withdrawals for agriculture and other uses, have led to the depletion of these vital freshwater resources.

Sea level rise can lead to saltwater intrusion into coastal aquifers, rendering them unsuitable for drinking and irrigation. Drought and over-abstraction can also increase the salinity of inland aquifers, while extreme weather occurrences such as floods and storms can increase the risk of groundwater contamination by pollutants such as farm runoff and sewage.