UAE Residents Urged to Protect Pool Water from Evaporation

Over one billion liters of water are lost annually due to evaporation from swimming pools across the United Arab Emirates, according to a study published in The Geographical Journal. Researchers from the UK’s Loughborough University estimate that these losses could be drastically reduced—by up to 95%—through the use of specialized pool covers. The team suggests implementing financial incentives, similar to those in Australia and the U.S., to encourage pool owners to adopt these solutions.

The study focused on Dubai’s Palm Jumeirah district, where mapping software identified 1,859 water features covering a total area of 173,500 square meters. Calculations revealed that between 2010 and 2020, an average of 603.1 million liters of water evaporated each year in this area alone—equivalent to the annual water consumption of around 3,000 people, roughly a third of the district’s population.

“If we extrapolate Palm Jumeirah’s data to the entire UAE, even with conservative estimates, the volume of evaporated water would amount to billions of liters annually,” the report states. Given the region’s arid climate and the high cost of desalinated water, such losses are particularly concerning.

The researchers highlight that rigid covers—made of foam, bubble wrap, or automated systems—can reduce evaporation by 94–96%. In contrast, chemical evaporation suppressants are only 14–15% effective. If all pools in Palm Jumeirah were covered for at least 22 hours a day, annual water losses could drop by 524.6 million liters—an 87% reduction. Another potential solution is replacing private pools with shared community ones.

According to the UAE’s Ministry of Climate Change and Environment, the average daily water consumption per person is around 550 liters—one of the highest rates in the world. Residential buildings account for 63% of Dubai’s total water use.

Experts warn that evaporation rates will rise with climate change. By 2050, annual water losses in Palm Jumeirah could reach 675 million liters. The study underscores the urgent need for water conservation measures, particularly in a country where freshwater resources are scarce and heavily reliant on energy-intensive desalination.
Source: The National