The UAE water map
The UAE gets almost no rain, yet water never stops at the tap. Guess where most of it comes from, then explore the map: the sea, the ground under the desert, recycled water, and the country's plan for 2036.
Explore the map
Pick a layer, then tap a place on the map to learn about it.
Simplified map. Places are approximate.
Pumping faster than the rain can refill
In Abu Dhabi, wells pump out about 20 times more water every year than rain puts back. Run one year and watch.
What's in the ground?
Guess again: of all the groundwater under Abu Dhabi, how much is fresh?
The plan for 2036
The UAE Water Security Strategy 2036 sets five national targets. Here they are, made visible.
Why this matters
Turning seawater into drinking water takes a lot of energy, and the salty brine goes back to the sea. Every litre saved at home saves both.
Most groundwater here built up over thousands of years. Rain refills only a tiny part, so pumping it is like spending savings.
In Abu Dhabi, 84% of pumped groundwater goes to farms and 12% to planted forests. Smarter irrigation saves more water than anything else.
Fix dripping taps, take shorter showers, run full loads, and water gardens early or late. Small changes, every day, add up.
Sources: Environment Agency Abu Dhabi, "Groundwater" feature (February 2021): about 60% of Abu Dhabi's water from groundwater, 30% desalinated, 10% treated wastewater; pumping about 2,100 million m³ a year, roughly 20 times natural recharge; over 100,000 wells; 79% of reserves highly saline, 18% brackish, 3% fresh; groundwater use 84% agriculture, 12% forestry, 4% parks. UAE government portal u.ae: UAE Water Security Strategy 2036 targets (cut total water demand by 21%, raise water productivity to US$110 per m³, lower the water scarcity index by 3 degrees, reuse 95% of treated water, raise national storage to up to 2 days) and about 70 major desalination plants. DEWA Statistics Booklet 2023: 99.7% of Dubai's supplied water is desalinated. Liwa strategic reserve: Gulf News (2018), citing ADWEA and EAD: 5.6 billion gallons in 315 recovery wells, enough for 1 million people at 180 litres a day for up to 90 days. Map and plant locations are simplified and approximate. Checked October 2026.