In 2008 a joint venture of Acwa Power and Suez Environment were awarded a seven-year water services management contract, under which a number of measures have been implemented to reduce unaccounted for water. The project was divided into two pilot stages, the first targeting the implementation of Pressure Regulating Valves in 16 district zones, and the second targeting the installation of advanced automatic network pressure management and control systems for two of the districts serviced in stage one.

The first pilot stage resulted in water savings of 12 percent equivalent to saving 4,300m3/day, a reduction of leaks by 50 percent, and expanded continuous service to 20 percent of customers. The second pilot stage achieved an additional 10 percent or the equivalent of 3,200m3/day of water loss savings and an extra average pressure decrease of 20 percent. Because the majority of the water supply comes from desalination, it’s assumed that leakage is a consumptive demand lost to saline sources; a reduction in leakage therefore results in a reduction in consumptive demand.