http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/03/business/energy-environment/03iht-rbogwater.html?ref=middleeast
The UAE uses 650 liters of water a day per person. This is more than the United States, at 300 liters per person, and almost all of Europe. Alot of this water is being used for watering golf courses, agriculture, and car washes. Right now, they are relying on desalination techniques in order to fulfill their daily water needs. Desalination is the process of removing salt from salt water. The water is being stored in above ground water tanks, but if a natural disaster were to happen, their water supplies would be exhausted within 48 hours.
Currently, Georg Koziorowski, a German hydrogeologist, is in the UAE to create a plan to extend the countries water reserves to 90 days. By 2013, this $500 million dollar plan is expected to be completed. If this plan is executed correctly, “in an emergency, 16 million cubic meters could be pumped up through hundreds of wells, providing each resident with about 150 liters of drinking water a day over a three-month period.”(NY Times Article referenced below)
Neighobring countries in the region have been carefully observing the UAE, and Abu Dhabi is quickly becoming a model for the rest of the region in terms of securing water.
Article link: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/03/business/energy-environment/03iht-rbogwater.html?_r=1&ref=middleeast
Picture link: http://www.planetware.com/picture/abu-dhabi-uae-uae019.htm
