A series of reports in The National this week reminds us that one of modern life's central requirements is neither automatic nor guaranteed: safe, clean, cheap water that we depend on flows reliably out of our taps only because of the persistent efforts of planners, managers, engineers, technicians, construction workers, maintenance men and others.
In a desert, few can take a reliable water supply for granted. Everyone is aware that consistent supply is essential not merely to the greenery on the medians but to … well, everything. From fresh drinking water to sewerage systems, waterworks rank with the electric grid and the road network as the indispensable capillaries of modern urban life.
By any measure, the UAE's water systems are an impressive accomplishment. Rapid urban expansion has required unceasing growth in the big-city water systems, and other areas have also seen steady improvement.
Desalination plants, the only practical option in this part of the world, claim drinking water from the sea. The process is energy-intensive but unavoidable, and new plants - one will open in Ajman this year - help to meet the increasing demand.
There is however no room for complacency. As this week's reports make clear, significant problems demand continued attention. In Sharjah, Ajman and Umm Al Qaiwain, desalinated water was found to contain dissolved solids in quantities exceeded drinking-water norms set by World Health Organisation and the Gulf Standards Organisation. In Abu Dhabi and Dubai, as well, many people are concerned about water quality.
Engineers and officials are quick to point out that desalination is not the source of the problem: the water that runs into your kitchen sink may have travelled through kilometres of piping and been stored in one or several tanks. At any step, poor maintenance can open the door to problems. This can be a particular danger with rooftop tanks in some blocks of flats.
From giant purification plants to a rooftop tank, water quality in the UAE is an unceasing technical challenge for the specialists who are entrusted with the responsibility. These challenges are in general being met, but this week's reports remind us that there is still room for improvement.
