EWS-WWF and EAD announce water conservation campaign to combat water wastage in the country

The Emirates Wildlife Society in association with the World Wide Fund for Nature (EWS-WWF) and the Environment Agency - Abu Dhabi (EAD) has launched the ‘Heroes of the UAE’ water campaign to encourage UAE residents to adopt simple tips to reduce their water wastage.

High consumption of water is an important contributor to the UAE’s Ecological Footprint, the highest Footprint per capita of the world.  This is largely because almost 100 per cent of the country’s drinking water is desalinated. Speaking at the launch, H.E. Dr Rashid bin Fahad, Minister of Environment and Water, explained that the Heroes campaign is focused on highlighting the need to reduce our water consumption, and demonstrating the difference every resident can make through implementing simple every day changes to their routine, “At its heart, the Heroes of the UAE campaign carries a powerful motto, that we believe resonates with all of us – it is about our future, it’s about intergenerational equity, our one planet and our children: ‘A sustainable UAE – every child’s right’.”

By implementing just three of the ‘Heroes’ water tips, households can reduce water consumption by up to 46 per cent (252 litres per person) without noticing a change in comfort or lifestyle. If implemented by everyone in the UAE, these tips can save 410 billion litres of water per year, or the equivalent of 164,250 Olympic sized swimming pools.

At the launch of the campaign, H.E. Majid Al Mansouri, Secretary General of EAD said, “As part of our commitment, EAD will be installing water saving devices for free in mosques, schools, commercial and government buildings, and households throughout 2010 in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi. These devices will reduce the water consumption of the Emirate by 30%, and will have a significant positive impact on the environment.”

‘Heroes of the UAE’, is a national campaign which aims to raise awareness and inspire all sectors of UAE society – individuals, households, schools, businesses and government -- to adopt more sustainable lifestyles and practices. The campaign launched its energy conservation component in February last year to urge UAE society to take action and reduce their high energy consumption.  The campaign is now building on the successes of this first phase to launch a water conservation component.

The campaign’s interactive website (www.heroesoftheuae.ae) has been designed specifically to educate visitors about the UAE’s water problem, simple solutions that can be implemented, as well as provide a forum for people to pledge support to take action and join the campaign.

Major sponsors of the ‘Heroes of the UAE’ are the Abu Dhabi Media Company, ADWEA, HSBC Bank Middle East Ltd, and Masdar. The campaign has also been endorsed by the Ministry of Education, Ministry of Energy, Ministry of Environment & Water and the Executive Affairs Authority of Abu Dhabi.