Dubai: The Dubai Municipality assured precautionary measures, including rapid handling of rainwater puddles, are in place to address the challenges of the current rainy season.
Dawoud Al Hajri, Director General of Dubai Municipality, said on Monday: “Work is underway to continue the Municipality’s intensive efforts to deal with rainwater throughout the emirate, according to a 24-hour work programme. Based on the analysis of meteorological reports and weather forecast in Dubai, appropriate measures are taken to deal with the expected emergency reports due to rain.” He added the measures are in line with ”preserving the urban and aesthetic appearance of the emirate; and aimed at ensuring the comfort, safety and happiness of the public.”
Al Hajri noted: “Teams are ready with the necessary equipment to drain rainwater pools and remove sand and agricultural waste during rainfalls and the accompanying conditions and winds. They are provided with the necessary mechanisms, pumps and tanks to remove and transport the accumulated water.”
Rainwater pumping stations
Eng. Mohammed Al Rayes, Director of Sewage Treatment Plants and Drainage Network Department, added there are 61 rainwater pumping stations across Dubai, with a network of pipes totalling 1.75 million metres in length that are interspersed with 28,000 inspection rooms and connected with 72,000 rainwater drains. “This system ends with 28 exits to the sea or to Dubai Creek. The specialised technical teams work from multiple departments according to specialisation to implement maintenance programs for surface and rain drainage stations,” added Al Rayes.
“For areas that are not connected to the public rainwater drainage network, the concerned teams at Dubai Municipality are responsible for draining the accumulated rainwater either by tankers or by using transportable and portable pumps,” he continued.
Al Rayes also explained the drainage network, regardless of its capacity, has limits that cannot be crossed. “If the intensity of rain is heavy, then this inevitably means that it will take a relatively longer time to drain the water than usual,” noted Al Rayes, adding: “There is also an ambitious plan to establish several local rainwater pumping stations.”
Cooperation
The Dubai Municipality also called on everyone to report any accumulation of rainwater using its mobile app. They can also call the emergency number 800900 to report any flooding incident.