Eng. Hassan Makki, Director of Sewerage & Irrigation Network Department, Dubai Municipality, talks to Swaliha Shanavas about the strategic importance of conserving natural resources and the significance of wastewater treatment in the Middle East region and his role in this critical segment. Eng. Hassan Makki was formerly the director of waste management department in Dubai Municipality and has about 28 years of experience in the field of waste water/solid waste management, environment and public health services. He holds a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from Seattle University, Seattle, USA and a master of engineering science in environmental engineering from Griffith University, Brisbane, Australia.

As the director of sewerage & irrigation network, what does your role involve?

As director of drainage and irrigation network department, my role involves extensive management responsibilities in the emirate of Dubai including: Sustainable and efficient management of water/waste water resources; Management of various outsourced projects, operation and maintenance contracts of water/waste water management; Maximise resource performance by managing the operation and preventive maintenance, outsourcing and other service initiatives that affect the cost structure of the department; Ensure the best value is delivered through outsourcing of municipal maintenance contracts and services; Development and measurement of key performance indicators of various business processes related to operation and maintenance of water/waste water management; Develop regulations and technical guidelines and ensure compliance with waste water regulations; Liaise with external bodies, federal departments and other government departments on issues related to the management of water/waste water resources.

What is the current state of water availability in the UAE and how important is sewerage and wastewater treatment?

According to the Environment Agency Abu Dhabi, 72 per cent of water used in the UAE comes from groundwater, 21 per cent comes from desalination and only 7 per cent is treated water. The luxury lifestyle and lack of conservation measures among residents has resulted in high levels of water usage and waste. It has been reported that in the UAE, per capita water usage is 550 litres per person per day, as compared to a global national average of 250 litres per person each day. The UAE is listed by the United Nations as a high-ranking country when it comes to water stress, a situation which occurs when the availability of water is not in balance with the demand for water. So, wastewater treatment is a significant strategy that will reduce the water stress in the region.

Your view on the development of this sector in the UAE, and the difficulties facing the growth of this segment.

Dubai has witnessed significant economic growth in the last twenty years and Government policies aimed at development of a diversified economy have transformed Dubai into a fast growing urban region in the Middle East with a multinational population. Also, intelligent and planned destination marketing efforts have resulted in the city supporting a fairly large transient and tourist population. These factors have resulted in the typical wastewater management problems associated with growth namely rising quantities of wastewater generated and also the need for an ever increasing level and quality of service. The water sector is moving aggressively to promote water conservation / storage, wastewater recycle and reuse, and desalination of sea water to meet the burgeoning water consumption needs in all sectors. Previously, the focus was more on desalination, which was seen as a solution to the alarming water crisis faced by UAE. Now, the trend is shifting to the reuse of treated sewage, not only for gardening /landscaping, but also for industrial use like district cooling. The major issue facing the growth of this sector is the lack of technical /project and maintenance management expertise in the government department, which is being surmounted by greater participation of the private sector. We employ approximately 80 percent of the expatriate employees in the wastewater industry and continuous training systems do not exist in wastewater sector in this region. Unfortunately, poorly qualified personnel are often employed. In particular with wastewater sector, the occupations, in this region, receive minimal appreciation.

What are the programmes and technologies being used to enhance the performance of the sewerage system in Dubai?

The prime aim of the department is to enhance the operational efficiency of wastewater management to meet the growing demand for wastewater delivery and treated water supply at the highest levels of availability and reliability. It also aims to enhance the Dubai’s sewer infrastructure to meet the requirements of sustainable development. Various initiatives have been implemented by the department: Solar landscaping irrigation system in traffic roundabouts: The system mainly comprises photovoltaic solar cells, submersible solar pump and underground water tank of about 5000 gallon capacity and is installed in all the traffic roundabouts. A submersible pump operated by solar energy is installed in the tank which is specially designed to run on DC current consuming 250 to 300 watts supplied by solar cells and a drip irrigation system with treated sewage water is used to irrigate the trees and ground cover plants automatically on a daily basis. This project was implemented at 34 roundabouts in Dubai and is expected to generate about 15 MWh of electricity and will reduce about 10 metric tons of CO2 equivalent emissions annually. Implementation of environmentally friendly bio trickling filters in the sewer pumping stations: The bio trickling filters are installed and operated in the pumping stations C, E, G and S located at various locations in Dubai. The system is implemented as an up gradation to the existing chemical scrubbers for the removal of odorous gas compounds (mostly Hydrogen Sulfide, Mercaptans and Dimethyl Sulphide). Management of fat, oil and grease waste from the hotel industry: The FOG blockages can result in sewer flooding to kitchens, odour problems and risk of rat infestations, both near and beyond kitchens in the hotels. Raw sewage includes human waste among several other pollutants mix with grease trap waste attracts cockroaches, fruit flies, mice, and rats from the sanitary sewer lines. Bacteria and pathogens have detrimental effects to our health. To overcome these problems, Dubai Municipality and Al Serkal group established a waste edible oil recycling facility at Al Awir on BOOT basis which recycles the waste cooking oil (FOG) from hotel industry. About 10 million gallons of grease waste is recycled annually at the facility. The above sustainability initiatives by the department is the first step towards achieving low-carbon energy innovation in the wastewater/irrigation sector in the Region, and such projects are playing a significant role in combating climate change, promoting economic competitiveness in the facility management industry in GCC, achieving energy security and environmental sustainability and promoting green economy in the region.

What are the challenges regarding sustainability when working with sewerage and wastewater treatment and how are you addressing these issues?

The rapid growth and development in Dubai has increased both the importance of sustainable wastewater management and the complexity of implementation. The important challenges for the twenty-first century in the field of wastewater management include: (1) addressing the role of science in the development of regulations, (2) wastewater collection infrastructure issues, (3) wastewater treatment issues, (4) biosolids reuse and disposal issues, (5) effluent reuse issues, and (6) effluent dispersal issues. The Environment and public health services sector, Dubai Municipality is responsible for the management of operation and maintenance of sewerage/ rain/storm water network facilities/treatment plants in Dubai. The wastewater infrastructure includes more than one hundred vehicles, well equipped workshop and about 10 main sewer pumping stations, 107 subsidiary sewer pumping stations, 49 storm water stations, 87 irrigation pumping stations, 276 irrigation controllers, 5000kms of sewer/storm/irrigation networks and 2 sewerage treatment plants, and above all, more than 1000 employees work with dedication to achieve excellence in the wastewater sector. The stations/treatment plants are monitored and controlled by SCADA (supervisory control and data acquisition system) a computerised remote control system which controls and monitors the operation of a number of submersible pumps installed strategically at various locations in Dubai. In addition, the movement of sewer tankers/vehicles are monitored and controlled through vehicle tracking system (GPS). The stations/treatment plants, tankers, vehicles and other mechanical/electrical equipment/accessories are maintained and operated by a team of well experienced maintenance/operation engineers and technicians. In line with the energy conservation and sustainability strategy of Dubai government, the wastewater infrastructures are designed with rationalised energy consuming processes and components like using gravity to avoid pumping, bio-trickling filters for ammonia reduction, biological scrubbers for odour removal, variable speed drives for selected pumping needs, use of solar energy in the irrigation lines, and advanced process automation systems.

Who are your key partners and what is your advice for the private companies working in this sector?

Dubai municipality strongly believes in public and private partnership and has initiated various projects and awareness programmes. The successful partnership with M/s Envirol Al Serkal group for about 8 years has played a vital role in managing the fat, oil and grease (FOG) waste generated in the hotel industry in Dubai. In fact, the Dubai Municipality has approved 33 private collection companies to collect the fat, oil and grease waste from the food service establishments. Apart from this, the development of sewerage/irrigation networks and treatment plants are built in cooperation with international consultants and contractors. My advice to our partners is to adopt the principles of sustainability in their daily business practice for our future generations to lead a sustainable life.

What are your key goals for the coming years and what are the changes one can expect in this area in the near future?

Waste Water Resources Management in Dubai has significantly progressed in the last 20 years, which has been due to the necessity to adapt to rapidly changing conditions and due to a planned approach adopted by the civic body to resolve important issues. The emphasis of the civic body on the principles of sustainable development and consequently, wastewater recycling have been contributing factors in setting up an Integrated Waste Water Resources Management System. These principles will continue to guide the Department in the future and will be expressed though its strategic plans. With the implementation of TQM and Smart Government services within the civic body, further improvement is expected in the delivery of wastewater services.

What do you love most about your job, and what is the most challenging aspect?

That’s a difficult question – because there’s a lot I like about my current job. I also want to move forward because I’m looking for a new and greater challenge. I’d say that I enjoy giving direct support to senior management in a way that really makes a difference. The contribution I make is vital to their ability to make key financial and technical decisions which ultimately influence the overall success of the wastewater business. I enjoy the challenge; I enjoy the responsibility and I enjoy the methodical and precise approach which is necessary for me to deliver the information the management relies upon.

What do you like to do in your spare time?

Well, I spend my spare time reading books related to leadership as I give lectures on developing leadership skills to my fellow countrymen. I like to travel with my family to other countries during holidays. I do exercise every day.