METITO, a total intelligent water management solutions provide, has inked a partnership with Emaar Properties of Dubai to recycle 20,000 cu m per day of wastewater to be used for district cooling in Downtown Dubai, Emaar’s flagship mega-development. This is in line with Emaar’s continuous efforts to preserve the environment through reducing the eco-footprint of its developments.

The district cooling system for Downtown Dubai will use wastewater as makeup water for cooling towers to feed DCP1, DCP2 and DCP3 at Mohammed bin Rashid Boulevard, which will benefit the local environment by using an available resource rather than disposing of it. With sustainability high on the global agenda, this initiative will help Dubai move closer to its promising future as a model city for sustainable living.

As part of the $10-million project, Metito will provide a treated sewage effluent polishing plant along with five years operation and maintenance.

Bassem Halabi, Metito business development director, says: “We have been working with Emaar Properties for the past 15 years and we are honoured to work with them on this important project. Metito is a true believer that water recycling and reclamation are key solutions to address the water scarcity issue in this region. We work very closely with our partners and clients to develop sustainable solutions that can fulfil their water needs and we are delighted to help Emaar future-proof its iconic developments in Downtown Dubai.”

Ahmad Al Matrooshi, managing director of Emaar Properties, adds: “Emaar is committed to protecting the local environment and the UAE’s valuable resources and this project is testament to our commitment. We strive to find solutions that can stand the test of time, and using recycled wastewater to meet the water needs for district cooling is a strategic long-term initiative to promote sustainable development. We are delighted to be working with Metito, a long standing provider of ours, and look forward to the successful launch of this project in the months to come.”

Hassan Al Dardery from Allied Consultants, the consultants for the project, says: “Emaar has a clear vision with regards on how to sustain the local environment that hosts its world-class developments and it is a great opportunity for us to be able to work with them on this project in Downtown Dubai, which is home to the Burj Khalifa and The Dubai Mall. We’re very happy to have Metito on board this project, as we see them add great value in terms of experience, their commitment to provide airtight solutions and their on the ground customer support.”

Halabi further says: “With the intricate design that has been developed by Allied Consultants, we’re confident that this will be a successful project. Together we share an uncompromised mission for quality deliverables, which makes this an exciting match.”

The project will see water sewage effluent treated by the polishing reverse osmosis (RO) technology before being recycled into the makeup water of the district cooling systems. The scheme results in a reduction of the carbon foot print in excess of 36.85 tons of carbon dioxide (CO2) per day as opposed to using desalinated sea water for the application. The project is scheduled to be completed in Q4 2014.