Water security is becoming an increasingly pressing issue as cities expand, demand rises, and climate change puts greater pressure on available resources. Securing reliable supplies now involves more than producing additional water. It also means finding better ways to use existing resources, limit losses, and keep water networks running efficiently.
These challenges are a major focus of the 28th Water, Energy, Technology, and Environment Exhibition (WETEX 2026), which opens Tuesday at the Dubai World Trade Centre. Organized by the Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA), the three-day event features technologies for desalination, wastewater treatment, water reuse, and smarter management of distribution networks.
The World Bank has warned that, under current water management policies and projected climate conditions, water availability in cities could fall by as much as two-thirds by 2050 compared with 2015.
An Integrated Vision for Water Security
His Excellency Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of DEWA and Founder and Chairman of WETEX, said that strengthening water security requires an integrated vision that combines the diversification of water sources with efficient resource use.
He emphasized the importance of investing in technologies that reduce energy consumption in desalination, minimize water losses, expand water reuse, and improve the resilience of water networks.
Al Tayer added that WETEX provides a global platform bringing together technology companies, utilities, investors, and decision-makers to showcase solutions and connect innovation with investment and practical implementation.
He noted that this supports the development of a more efficient, sustainable, and resilient water system capable of keeping pace with growth while preserving resources for current and future generations.
Smart Desalination Technologies and Clean Energy
Desalination has traditionally required large amounts of energy, but advances in technology are helping change that. More efficient membranes and pumps have improved the performance of reverse osmosis systems, which use less energy than multistage flash distillation plants.
One example is DEWA’s seawater desalination project at the Hassyan Complex. The project is designed to produce 180 million gallons of water a day, placing it among the world’s largest seawater reverse osmosis desalination facilities.
DEWA is also working toward a target of producing all its desalinated water using a combination of clean energy and waste heat by 2030.
Water Reuse to Support Sustainability
Producing more water is only part of the solution. Reusing treated water can also ease pressure on conventional supplies, particularly as cities and industries require larger volumes.
The World Bank estimates that municipal and industrial water reuse worldwide could grow eightfold by 2040, reaching 430 million cubic meters a day.
Reused water offers a stable source of supply and can help reduce the impact of changing climate conditions on water availability.
Smart Networks and Reducing Water Losses
Even when enough water is produced, losses within distribution networks remain a challenge. Smart meters, sensors, real-time monitoring, and remote-control systems are helping utilities identify leaks sooner and respond before problems become more serious.
DEWA’s progress shows how much difference these technologies can make. Water losses across its transmission and distribution networks dropped from 42.5% in 1989 to 4.4% in 2025, supported by the authority’s advanced systems and technology.
Among those systems is Hydro Insight, which uses artificial intelligence to turn network data into information that supports day-to-day decisions. The technology helps improve response times and service quality while keeping DEWA’s water networks operating in line with the highest international standards.
