Dubai Electricity and Water Authority, the utilities regulator for the emirate, has awarded a contract worth Dh288 million for the construction of two 60 million gallon reservoirs in Al Nakhali in the Hatta region, south-east of Dubai.
The project is expected to provide storage for up to 120 million gallons of desalinated water. Dewa is also undertaking a similar 60 million gallon reservoir development in Al Lusaily, which is expected to raise Dubai's total storage capacity to 890 million gallons after completion. Including the Al Nakhali reservoirs, Dubai's total storage capacity will hit to 1.01 billion gallons, the utilities regulator said on Saturday. Current capacity is at 830 million gallons. Construction and operation of the reservoirs is expected to be complete within 24 months.
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The Al Nakhali project comes "in response to the continued growth in demand for water to meet the needs of ambitious urban, economic, and social projects, in line with Dewa's strategy to provide water reservoirs," said managing director and chief executive Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer.
Earlier this year, the regulator awarded a consultancy project worth Dh6.3m for the design and construction of the twin reservoirs.
The projects come as Hatta looks to boost tourism to the area.
Last month, The National reported that among new facilities will be the Riad Hatta, a boutique hotel designed around a central courtyard, using materials that blend with the nature of the mountainous part of Dubai. The hotel is slated to open in the last quarter of 2019.
In addition, the area also boasts the first trailer-style hotel in the UAE , Hatta Sedr Trailers, featuring individual units that look out on to Hatta Dam.
The old heritage village in the area is also being redeveloped.