ABU DHABI // A new wastewater treatment plant on Al Ain Dairy farm will help save up to 22,000 litres of water a day.
The high-tech Dh16million plant is now treating 700,000 litres of water a day and came fully into operation at the end of last month.
"We've doubled our herd to 6,000 cows, so the amount of effluent is obviously going to double," said Abdullah Saif Al Darmaki, Al Ain Dairy's chief executive.
The farm installed a pilot plant eight years ago, treating 500,000 litres a day with a mechanical filter. The new plant also combines that with organic breakdown, making the waste it produces more biodegradable.
And while the pilot plant treated only manure, the new one will also deal with office and accommodation effluent from around the farm.
"The first plant was more of a trial," Mr Al Darmaki said.
"Now, more water is being expelled out as waste water so we needed to get a more modern plant."
The system should cut the farm's water use from 100,000 litres a day to 78,000 litres.
While nowhere near good enough to drink, the recovered water can be used for landscaping and cleaning the cowshed floors.
And some of the separated solids are sold as organic fertiliser.
Experts believe treating waste water is vital to preserve the UAE's natural resources.
"We live in a place which is arid with barely any rainfall and limited renewable resources, so it's a must to look for other alternatives," said Dr Khalil Ahmed Ammar, a hydrogeology scientist at Dubai's international centre for biosaline agriculture.
"Using it [waste water] in better ways, instead of losing it to the sea or desert, is of great importance," he said.
"It has nutrients that plants need and it's a valuable resource."
Agriculture is a key factor in the Arabian Gulf's water management.
"At present, GCC countries recycle no more than 47 per cent of their total treated waste water, which contributes less than 2 per cent of their total water supply," said Dr Waleed Al Zubari, a professor of water resources management at Bahrain's Arabian Gulf University.
Dr Al Zubari estimates that the treatment and recycling of just half of the domestic water supply for agriculture could meet more than 11 per cent of the Arabian Gulf's total water demands.
"That could reduce groundwater withdrawal by more than 15 per cent by 2020," he said.
"Therefore, wastewater and reuse is one of the most important options available to the GCC to close the supply-demand gap.
"If treated and reused properly, it can help reduce groundwater over-exploitation significantly."
cmalek@thenational.ae
How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
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The Limehouse Golem
Director: Juan Carlos Medina
Cast: Olivia Cooke, Bill Nighy, Douglas Booth
Three stars
Business Insights
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COMPANY%20PROFILE
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MATCH INFO
Chelsea 4 (Mount 18',Werner 44', Hudson-Odoi 49', Havertz 85')
Morecambe 0
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Transmission: Single-speed automatic
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COMPANY PROFILE
Name: HyperSpace
Started: 2020
Founders: Alexander Heller, Rama Allen and Desi Gonzalez
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Entertainment
Number of staff: 210
Investment raised: $75 million from investors including Galaxy Interactive, Riyadh Season, Sega Ventures and Apis Venture Partners
Al Jazira's foreign quartet for 2017/18
Romarinho, Brazil
Lassana Diarra, France
Sardor Rashidov, Uzbekistan
Mbark Boussoufa, Morocco
RESULTS
Argentina 4 Haiti 0
Peru 2 Scotland 0
Panama 0 Northern Ireland 0
Squid Game season two
Director: Hwang Dong-hyuk
Stars: Lee Jung-jae, Wi Ha-joon and Lee Byung-hun
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Dirham Stretcher tips for having a baby in the UAE
Selma Abdelhamid, the group's moderator, offers her guide to guide the cost of having a young family:
• Buy second hand stuff
They grow so fast. Don't get a second hand car seat though, unless you 100 per cent know it's not expired and hasn't been in an accident.
• Get a health card and vaccinate your child for free at government health centres
Ms Ma says she discovered this after spending thousands on vaccinations at private clinics.
• Join mum and baby coffee mornings provided by clinics, babysitting companies or nurseries.
Before joining baby classes ask for a free trial session. This way you will know if it's for you or not. You'll be surprised how great some classes are and how bad others are.
• Once baby is ready for solids, cook at home
Take the food with you in reusable pouches or jars. You'll save a fortune and you'll know exactly what you're feeding your child.
World Cup warm-up fixtures
Friday, May 24:
- Pakistan v Afghanistan (Bristol)
- Sri Lanka v South Africa (Cardiff)
Saturday, May 25
- England v Australia (Southampton)
- India v New Zealand (The Oval, London)
Sunday, May 26
- South Africa v West Indies (Bristol)
- Pakistan v Bangladesh (Cardiff)
Monday, May 27
- Australia v Sri Lanka (Southampton)
- England v Afghanistan (The Oval, London)
Tuesday, May 28
- West Indies v New Zealand (Bristol)
- Bangladesh v India (Cardiff)
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Power: 310hp
Torque: 583Nm
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Price: From Dh192,500
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2019 Asian Cup final
Japan v Qatar
Friday, 6pm
Zayed Sports City Stadium, Abu Dhabi
