Market Intelligence
Water and Wastewater United Arab Emirates Environment and Natural Resources

UAE Water Market Opportunities

The United Arab Emirates is investing heavily in water infrastructure to ensure sustainable water supply and quality management – and billions of dollars of new projects are being planned. Water desalination, wastewater treatment, and water distribution projects in the UAE are creating significant opportunities for U.S. businesses in the water sector and the UAE is keenly interested in the advanced technology solutions available from U.S. companies, especially energy efficient solutions. The UAE’s dry climate, limited freshwater resources, and extreme hot temperatures all drive increased demand for water solutions.


The UAE has become one of the world’s leaders in desalinated water production, with more than 80% of its potable water coming from desalination. The country has several large desalination plants, such as Abu Dhabi 200 MIGD (million imperial gallons per day) National Energy Company’s (TAQA) Al Taweelah plant and the Dubai Electricity and Water Authority’s (DEWA) 120 MIGD desalination plant. The UAE is also making large investments in wastewater treatment to support its growing population and industrial demands.

Dubai is focusing on diversifying its water sources, with projects such as the development of the Dubai Water Canal, which will further integrate water management and wastewater treatment systems to improve the overall efficiency of water use in the city. Similarly, in Abu Dhabi, major projects are under development to expand water distribution networks and enhance water treatment capacity, ensuring the city’s future water security.

The UAE’s commitment to reducing water wastage and enhancing sustainability is driving growth in technologies and solutions focused on water conservation, smart water management, and efficient desalination processes.

Opportunities:

  • Desalination plants – Design, construction, and operation of large-scale desalination projects.
  • Wastewater treatment systems – Supply of technologies and services for municipal and industrial wastewater treatment, including reverse osmosis (RO) systems and advanced filtration solutions.
  • Water distribution systems – Opportunities in the development and expansion of water pipelines, reservoirs, and distribution networks.
  • Smart water management – Solutions for real-time monitoring and management of water resources, including IoT-based technologies for leak detection, water metering, and system optimization.
  • Water conservation technologies – Systems and products aimed at reducing water usage in both residential and commercial settings.
  • Water quality monitoring – Development and deployment of water quality sensors and automated control systems.
  • Water storage and infrastructure – Design and installation of water storage systems, including large-scale reservoirs and water tanks.
  • Water reuse systems – Technologies for the recycling and reuse of wastewater in agriculture, industrial, and municipal applications.

Note: For U.S. companies to bid on these opportunities, suppliers and their local partners should be registered with the relevant project management authorities, such as the Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) and the Abu Dhabi Water and Electricity Authority (ADWEA).

Learn more at the event below in the UAE:

WETEX (Water, Energy, Technology, and Environment Exhibition), Dubai, October 21-23, 2025

For more information, please contact Office.AbuDhabi@trade.gov.