[Source: UAE Interact ]

An integrated database for water wells in the emirate of Abu Dhabi will be established to help decision-makers make appropriate decisions, a top environmental official has announced. The Secretary-General of the Environment Agency-Abu Dhabi (EAD) Majed Al Mansouri said a full-scale survey would be conducted to determine the number of wells and classify them with the purpose of formulating a detailed database in which all authorities concerned like the Abu Dhabi Municipality and Abu Dhabi Electricity and Water Authority (ADEWA) will participate under the supervision of EAD.

"Geological maps will be drawn to gauge the amount of underground water and its salinity in order to decide how it will be utilised,” Al Mansouri said yesterday after signing an agreement for creating a central database for water resources in Abu Dhabi with Aymen Khatab, Director General of Schlumberger. "The project will cost Dh2.5 million and take nine months to complete,” Al Mansouri added. Mohammed Dawood, Head of Water Resources at EAD explained the project would classify the kind of wells, their locations and percentage of utilisation and changes happening to these wells and reservoirs. (Khaleej Times)