An infiltration and recovery system sitting on top of a natural fresh water underground aquifer is at the  core of the reserve, which was first investigated in 2002.

Saif Al Seairi, acting director general, Abu Dhabi Water and Electricity Authority (ADWEA) commented:

“The reserve acts as a safety net for the provision of water and is now being regarded as an excellent regional model for foresight and planning.”

Razan Khalifa Al Mubarak, secretary general, EAD, added that the project addressed Abu Dhabi’s water security in one of the world’s driest areas where rainfall rarely exceeds 10cm a year. It also strengthens Abu Dhabi’s  resilience through the recharge of groundwater aquifers with high-quality desalinated water which cannot be stored above ground due to contamination and other factors.

The project will ensure continuous water supply for Abu Dhabi city and Al Dhafra region – the reserve now holds more than 26 million cubic metres of water that can bolster drinking water supply when needed.

Click here to watch a video of the world’s largest desalinated water reserve in the middle of the Liwa desert in the UAE. It holds 5.6 billion gallons of water and cost $435 million to build.