Dubai completes Dh277 million flood-busting drainage network
Dubai Municipality on Wednesday announced the completion of a sewerage and rainwater drainage network at a total cost of Dh277 million.
It is the first major step towards completing the Tasreef project – the vision of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, who last year approved the Dh30 billion plan to improve the emirate's water drainage following record flooding in April.
The new network in Nad Al Sheba 3 spans a total of 24km and adds 11km of household connections to Dubai's main sewerage system.
An advanced pumping station has been installed, which can handle 4,000 litres of water per second. This is complemented by a 31km gravity-based drainage pipeline network, which will maintain system readiness during periods of heavy rainfall and mitigate flooding risks.
The overall Tasreef project is set to be completed by 2033.
How will the new drainage network help?
'This project is part of Dubai Municipality's strategic efforts to develop and deliver world-class infrastructure that keeps pace with Dubai's ambitions for global leadership and urban sustainability,' Marwan Ahmed bin Ghalita, director general of Dubai Municipality, said.
'Completing the Nad Al Sheba 3 project is a significant step towards connecting all areas of Dubai to a fully integrated sewerage and rainwater drainage network, ensuring the emirate's readiness to face future climate challenges for the next 100 years.'
In addition to being part of the Tasreef project, the Nad Al Sheba 3 development is part of a planned Dh80 billion sewerage upgrade programme to help public health standards.
The pumping station and drainage pipeline will improve rainwater management and ensure efficient water flow towards the main network.
What is the Tasreef project?
The strategic project is a continuation of drainage projects launched by Dubai in 2019, covering the Expo Dubai area, Al Maktoum International Airport City and Jebel Ali.
The new projects will serve vital areas including Nad Al Hamar, and around Dubai International Airport, Garhoud, Rashidiya, Al Quoz, Zabeel, Al Wasl, Jumeirah and Al Badaa.
The system aims to increase rainwater drainage capacity by 700 per cent, meet the emirate's needs for 100 years and ensure the city is ready to face 'climate-related challenges'.
How floods make an impact
In April 2024, the UAE recorded its heaviest rain in 75 years. Buildings and roads were flooded, while cars were abandoned on motorways and flights were cancelled, delayed or diverted as a result of the severe storm.
While the floods' impact was immediate and wide-ranging, they continue to shape the Emirates – and not only in terms of government policy.
The flooding caused an increase in greenery in the country's desert landscapes. Vegetation in some areas grew by up to 40 per cent compared to the same time in 2023, and this has had a lasting impact, research discovered.
The study, co-written by Dr Diana Francis of Khalifa University and published in the npj Climate and Atmospheric Science journal, confirmed that human-driven climate change made last year's rainfall in the UAE far more likely in the future.
Its analysis of the effect of the flooding on urban infrastructure suggests existing drainage systems and land use policies need to be enhanced to cope with such extreme weather.
'Our cities are not designed to absorb these volumes of water,' Dr Francis said. 'If we keep covering land with impermeable concrete, water has nowhere to go. We need to rethink urban planning with more green space and better drainage to reduce future damage.'
It is hoped this is where the Tasreef project will come in as, once completed, Dubai's infrastructure will be able to handle more than 20 million cubic metres of water per day.
Aftermath of April 2024 floods – in pictures
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Zawya
2 hours ago
- Zawya
US airlines face heightened risks as global carriers bypass Middle East after attacks on Iran
An organisation that monitors flight risks warned on Sunday that U.S. strikes on Iran's nuclear sites could heighten the threat to American operators in the region as some airlines cancelled flights to and from Dubai and Doha. Airlines continued to avoid large parts of the Middle East due to ongoing missile exchanges between Israel and Iran, the latest upheaval to travel in the region. Singapore Airlines said it cancelled scheduled flights from Singapore to Dubai following a security assessment and British Airways cancelled flights to and from Dubai and Doha. But following a barrage of early morning Iranian missiles, Israel has reopened its airspace for six hours on Sunday to bring back those stranded abroad since the conflict with Iran began on June 13. Safe Airspace, a membership-based website run by OPSGROUP, said the U.S. attacks on Iran may increase risks to U.S. operators in the region. "While there have been no specific threats made against civil aviation, Iran has previously warned it would retaliate by attacking US military interests in the Middle East - either directly or via proxies such as Hezbollah," Safe Airspace said. Meanwhile, flight tracking website FlightRadar24, said airlines maintained flight diversions around the region. Its website showed airlines were not flying in the airspace over Iran, Iraq, Syria and Israel. They have chosen other routings such as north via the Caspian Sea or south via Egypt and Saudi Arabia, even if these result in higher fuel and crew costs and longer flight times. Missile and drone barrages in an expanding number of conflict zones globally represent a high risk to airline traffic. In the nine days since Israel launched its offensive against Iran, carriers have suspended flights to destinations in the affected countries, though there have been some evacuation flights from neighbouring nations and some bringing stranded Israelis home. With Russian and Ukrainian airspace also closed due to war, the Middle East region has become an even more important route for international flights between Europe and Asia. In addition to rerouting flights, airlines are also concerned about a potential spike in oil prices following the U.S. attacks, which will increase the cost of jet fuel. In the days before the U.S. strikes, American Airlines suspended flights to Qatar and United Airlines did the same with flights to Dubai. Safe Airspace said it was possible airspace risks could now extend to countries including Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. "We continue to advise a high degree of caution at this time," it said. RESCUE AND EVACUATION FLIGHTS The BA and Singapore Airline cancellations were only for Sunday, but Singapore cautioned that other flights between Singapore and Dubai may be affected as the situation remains "fluid". BA, which is owned by IAG, said customers scheduled to travel between now and June 24 to Dubai and Doha can rebook on a later flight up to and including July 6, free of charge. Its teams continue to keep the situation under review, it added. Israel's carriers, El Al Israel Airlines, Arkia, Israir and Air Haifa, said earlier on Sunday they had suspended rescue flights that allowed people to return to Israel until further notice. Flag carrier El Al said it would also extend its cancellation of scheduled flights through Friday and Israir said it had halted the sale of tickets for all flights through July 7. A spokesperson for Israel's airports authority said the country's main airport, Ben Gurion near Tel Aviv, was expected to reopen for rescue flight landings on Sunday between 1100 and 1700 GMT. The small Haifa Airport serving Israel's north would also be open from 1100 to 1700 GMT. El Al, along with Arkia, Air Haifa and Israir said they would operate at least 10 flights on Sunday starting at 1100 GMT. Tens of thousands of Israelis and others who had booked tickets to Israel are stuck abroad. At the same time, nearly 40,000 tourists in Israel are looking to leave the country, some of whom are going via Jordan's borders to Amman and Aqaba and others via Egypt and by boat to Cyprus. Japan's foreign ministry said on Sunday it had evacuated 21 people, including 16 Japanese nationals, from Iran overland to Azerbaijan. It said it was the second such evacuation since Thursday and that it would conduct further evacuations if necessary. New Zealand's government said on Sunday it would send a Hercules military transport plane to the Middle East on standby on Sunday to evacuate New Zealanders from the region. The government was also in talks with commercial airlines to assess how they may be able to assist, it added. (Reporting by Jamie Freed in Sydney and Steven Scheer in Jerusalem; Additional reporting by Tim Kelly in Tokyo, Sam McKeith in Sydney and Alistair Smout in London; Editing by Sonali Paul, William Mallard and Clelia Oziel)
Khaleej Times
2 hours ago
- Khaleej Times
Dubai targets 1,000km of dedicated cycling tracks by 2030
Dubai has always set the benchmark in many areas, and the bustling emirate is now further enhancing its reputation for healthy living and sustainable transport. Dubai, which is already boasts if 560km of cycling tracks, is aiming 1,000km of dedicated cycling tracks by 2030, the Dubai Media Office said on Sunday, June 22. The growth has been tremendous with Dubai starting off with nine kilometres of cycling tracks in 2006.
Arabian Post
2 hours ago
- Arabian Post
ArabyAds Elevates MENA Marketing by Winning Snapchat Advanced Partner Badge
Arabian Post Staff -Dubai ArabyAds has secured the prestigious Snapchat Advanced Partner badge, marking a significant milestone that positions the UAE-based ad-tech firm at the forefront of digital innovation across the Middle East and North Africa. The designation grants the company exclusive access to Snapchat's latest tools, data analytics, and strategic support, enabling clients and creators in the region to harness full‑funnel campaign opportunities on the platform. This recognition underlines ArabyAds' deliberate investment in human capital and know‑how, rather than simply technical capability. As part of the Snapchat Advanced Partner programme, the company gains access to private training sessions, expert enablement, account‑management backing and early‑stage features like Snap's Creator Discovery API and Snap Creator Marketplace Beta. The badge also comes with visibility and credibility as Snapchat builds its ecosystem through trusted agency partnerships. ADVERTISEMENT ArabyAds Vice‑President of Digital, Ayah Reyad, emphasised that working with Snapchat has been instrumental in expanding market share and inspiring creativity, and that the advanced partner status will deepen relationships with clients and unlock new possibilities in digital storytelling. The move adds another layer to ArabyAds' portfolio of regional achievements, which include being named Marketing Platform of the Year 2023 by MMA Smarties MENA and the prior launch of their AI‑powered Household Graph for cross‑platform audience reach. Snapchat states that over 67% of users follow creators to see real, everyday moments, underlining the emphasis on authentic connection. The platform reports that 97% of users are open to brand‑sponsored creator content, and 59% have made purchases following exposure to such campaigns. This context sets the stage for ArabyAds to broker more effective creator partnerships on behalf of brands, using bespoke targeting informed by data and platform insight. The Advanced Partner badge places ArabyAds among an elite selection of regional agencies, including Publicis Groupe‑Content Practice, Creo, InHype and The Goat Agency MENA. Snap's pilot cohort benefits from direct collaboration opportunities with Snapchat teams, hands‑on enablement events and tailored access to analytics and certification from Snap Focus. A Partner Enablement Day in Dubai offered immediate immersion into platform tools and strategic best practice, reinforcing the parent company's goal to build a vibrant creator economy across the MENA region. Senior figures from other agencies in the cohort echoed Snap's confidence in ArabyAds. Timothée Desormeaux, Managing Partner and Co‑founder of Acquisit, noted that Snap values their data‑driven and measurement‑focused approach, which has helped solve complex client challenges in the region. Snap's head of agency relations in the region, Rasha El‑Ghoussaini, described the partner initiative as part of a broader strategy to support agencies amid rapid transformation across digital markets. For ArabyAds' clients, the benefits are multifaceted. The Creator Discovery API enables mapping and analysis of over 100,000 MENA creators, enabling data‑led influencer alignment. End‑to‑end ROI tracking, combined with advancement in AR and creative strategy, allows brands to build measurable campaigns that drive deeper engagement and conversions. ArabyAds is now well placed to offer clients a full‑stack solution on Snapchat: from creator identification and certification through Snap Focus, to influencer campaign activation using the Creator Marketplace, and ongoing optimisation via account management and platform insights. The firm's trajectory signals intention not only to maintain growth, but to shape what high‑impact creator collaboration looks like in the region.
