For decades, the UAE has relied heavily on desalination to meet its growing water needs. While this approach has been effective in the short term, it is also energy intensive and emissions heavy. Nearly 42 per cent of the country’s water demand is met through desalination, making water management a significant contributor to national greenhouse gas emissions. As climate pressures intensify and water demand continues to rise, the reliance on desalination is increasingly unsustainable.
The urgency of the challenge is also now backed by regulation. In May, the UAE made it legally binding for companies to monitor their emissions, implement decarbonisation strategies and submit regular reports. This climate law marks a turning point, transforming sustainability from a corporate ambition into a compliance requirement.
Yet, for many organisations, compliance is not just about emissions audits or switching to renewable energy. It also means rethinking how resources such as water are consumed, reused and integrated into broader climate strategies.
This is where wastewater reuse plays a vital role. Often viewed merely as a hygiene or utility issue, wastewater is one of the most untapped tools in a company’s sustainability toolkit. When treated and repurposed effectively, it can offset the use of desalinated water or groundwater in applications such as irrigation, industrial cooling and even toilet flushing, thereby significantly reducing both water-related energy consumption and associated emissions.
Across the UAE, local municipalities and city planners are starting to think differently about how water is used and reused. Instead of relying solely on large, centralised networks, many are turning to systems that treat lightly used water and wastewater closer to where it is generated. These solutions help ease pressure on the grid, reduce energy consumption and facilitate communities' efforts to meet the country’s climate goals. This helps ease pressure on the grid and lowers energy consumption, while reducing operating costs and helping organisations meet their emissions targets under the new law.
For example, in Ras Al Khaimah, local wastewater agency Rakwa has upgraded its pumping systems with energy-efficient variable speed drives and smart controls. The result: more than 20 per cent in energy savings and a 12 per cent reduction in operational costs.
Beyond the numbers, this project demonstrates how even small shifts such as optimising the pumping stage can create a measurable environmental and financial impact. When scaled across sectors or embedded into long-term sustainability planning, water reuse becomes a powerful enabler of climate progress.
These kinds of interventions are just the beginning. To truly make cities ready for the future, policy makers need to think bigger, starting with how we design water systems.
The shift towards water reuse is prompting a broader rethinking of how we design water infrastructure. When wastewater is treated as a resource rather than waste, it opens the door to more circular and climate-resilient systems. Across the UAE, this mindset is gaining traction. In new communities, developers are installing systems that collect and treat lightly used water from sinks, showers and other non-toilet sources on site, so that every drop goes further, whether it is to keep parks green, cool buildings or support public sanitation. However, it’s not just limited to neighbourhood developments.
The Abu Dhabi Sustainable Water Solutions Company reached a major milestone in 2023, recycling 80 per cent of the emirate’s treated wastewater for use in agriculture, district cooling and industry. Bit by bit, these efforts are reshaping how water moves through cities, making it more circular and efficient, and cities better equipped to handle future demand.
As the climate becomes hotter and cities become increasingly busy, the pressure on water systems will only intensify. We can’t afford to keep relying on the same old solutions. That’s why rethinking how we use and reuse water matters now more than ever.
The new UAE climate law may set the baseline, but the real opportunity lies in going further. It’s prompting companies to move past the bare minimum and rethink how sustainability can power growth, spark innovation and build long-term resilience. By reusing treated wastewater, businesses can take more control of their water supply, ease their dependence on expensive and carbon-heavy desalination and build more self-reliant operations. This matters even more for sectors such as manufacturing, hospitality and real estate, where water use is high and smooth operations are essential.
As sustainability becomes a focus for everyone from investors to regulators to everyday customers it is by rethinking wastewater that we unlock new value from aspects long overlooked.
Organisations that act early, think creatively and treat water as a strategic priority will be better prepared for whatever comes next. Whether it’s regulatory shifts, rising resource costs, investor scrutiny or climate-related disruptions, those who integrate circular water systems into their core operations will gain a competitive edge. Reuse is no longer just an environmental responsibility. It is a business advantage that drives resilience, efficiency and long-term growth.
