91% disinfection cost savings unveiled for UAE desalination

The Middle East is rapidly advancing its utility infrastructure to meet growing demands for clean, safe water.

During the recent MENA Desalination exhibition, held from the 3rd to the 4th of June, EEIC (Emirates Electrical & Instrumentation Company) and Emerald Ecotechnologies LLC presented a major operational breakthrough. The showcase demonstrated massive disinfection cost savings for regional operators, fundamentally changing how facilities manage potable water and wastewater.

As the region focuses on sustainability, these companies are introducing advanced methods to minimise reliance on traditional, hazardous chemicals.

AQUACHLOR Mixed Oxidants Technology Explained

The core of this new operational efficiency lies in the AQUACHLOR® Mixed Oxidants technology. EEIC, a Ghobash Group Enterprise, partnered with UAE-based Emerald Ecotechnologies to bring this system to the forefront of the utility sector.

The joint presentation at the MENA Desalination exhibition highlighted several key operational improvements for desalination and wastewater applications. The AQUACHLOR® system is specifically designed to:

• Deliver safer and more sustainable water treatment processes across the region.
• Dramatically cut operating costs for utility providers.
• Minimise the industry's reliance on hazardous chlorine-based chemicals.
• Improve biofilm control within extensive water distribution networks.
• Enhance overall operational safety by reducing the handling, transportation, and storage of dangerous substances.

This technology presents a lower-cost alternative to conventional chlorine or chlorine dioxide-based disinfection systems.

The NAQAA SWRO Desalination Plant Project

A primary reference project highlighted during the exhibition was the NAQAA SWRO Desalination Plant, located in Umm Al Quwain. This massive facility promises a potable water treatment capacity of approximately 684,000 cubic metres per day.

Achieving Massive OPEX Reductions

The NAQAA facility has officially selected AQUACHLOR® as a chlorine dioxide replacement solution, with full deployment planned for later this year. Once implemented, the project is expected to deliver a reported 91% reduction in operating expenditure (OPEX).

Crucially, this cost reduction does not compromise water quality. The system maintains stable residual disinfection performance while ensuring WHO-compliant potable water. It achieves this without generating harmful disinfection by-products (DBPs) such as bromate, chlorate, and chlorite.

The successful showcase allowed both companies to engage directly with industry stakeholders who are actively looking to optimise their current utility infrastructure. These efforts perfectly align with the UAE Water Security Strategy 2036. This national programme prioritises:

• Long-term water sustainability.
• Robust infrastructure resilience.
• Improved operational efficiency.

The strategy is particularly relevant as the nation continues expanding its investment in large-scale desalination projects to secure future water supplies. Industry leaders from both organisations expressed strong confidence in the technology's potential to reshape regional water networks.

Petr Gnatyuk, the CEO of Emerald Ecotechnologies, added:

"Utilities today are looking for technologies that can deliver stronger disinfection performance while also simplifying operations and reducing lifecycle costs. Throughout the exhibition, we saw growing regional interest in solutions that are effective, cheap and reduce the demand in transportation and storage of hazardous chemicals."

Following this successful exhibition, EEIC and Emerald Ecotechnologies are well-positioned to accelerate the deployment of these sustainable solutions, driving the next generation of resilient utility infrastructure across the region.