All Abu Dhabi water wells to be registered and checked for pollution

However, these wells had been drilled in the absence of regulatory control, were unregistered and data about them was lacking.

The Environment Agency - Abu Dhabi (EAD) has now commissioned GTZ/Dornier Consortium to register more than 10,000 wells, located in Al Ain and Liwa. This comes in line with one of EAD's main responsibilities to manage the Emirate's groundwater resources.

In a press conference held today at EAD Headquarters, the Agency announced that work began last month and is expected to last over the next 17 months. The rest of the Emirate's wells are all expected to be registered by the end of 2010.

During the press conference, EAD called on the general public to lend their cooperation, in order for this important national project to run smoothly.

For ease of identification, each well will be assigned a unique well registration identity number and a plate will be fixed to it. The level of groundwater will be measured and a pumped water sample will be taken for analysis of routine hydrochemistry at EAD's laboratories. The wells will also be checked for the presence of any pollution.

All information collected and as well as photographs of the sites will be stored in EAD's online Abu Dhabi Water Resources Data Management System, which is expected to be online by April 2007, in association with Schlumberger Middle East.

The information will be used to conduct detailed water resources assessments in the areas, including aquifer sustainability and mapping of groundwater quality. The information will also offer a good estimate about present water use and efficiency of this water use in the Emirate. This will greatly help EAD to develop more measures to conserve this valuable resource and ensure the sustainability of its use for generations to come.