Stop using ground water, desalination stations told

Ras Al Khaimah - RAK Municipality recently ordered the closure of two water desalination stations after discovering harmful bacteria and impurities.

All water desalination stations in Ras Al Khaimah need to stop using ground water and only use seawater with immediate effect, a top official has said.
Dr Saif Al Ghais, Director of the Environment Protection and Development Authority, RAK, said a number of water desalination stations here have been warned against using ground water. "All water desalination stations have been given a grace period of one month - till the end of this year - to ... start using seawater instead of ground water in their operations."
The Environment Protection and Development Authority in RAK recently held a meeting with the managers of all water desalination stations in the emirate and told them about the existing laws.
"All operators of water desalination stations here need to refrain from using ground water for non-agricultural purposes and use seawater only in their operations to preserve our natural resources."
The RAK Municipality recently ordered the closure of two water desalination stations after discovering harmful bacteria and impurities in random samples that were collected from there.
"If stations fail to observe health standards in terms of cleaning and sterilisation, bacteria have a good chance to grow in desalinated water produced there," said Khalifa Mohammed Al Maktoum, manager of the public health and environment department at the RAK Municipality.
The RAK Municipality also fined four other water desalination stations for violating sanitation, transport and water filling rules.
The standard fines of Dh20,000 to Dh30,000 can go up by 10 times if violations pose a danger to public health.
ahmedshaaban@khaleejtimes.com

• UAE
• Ras Al Khaimah