Dubai Electricity & Water Authority (DEWA) Tips for Managing Electricity & Water Use

Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) provides tips and smart services for its residential customers to help them manage their electricity and water use as well as encourage them to follow daily simple eco-friendly habits to reduce carbon footprint. This is part of DEWA’s ongoing efforts to involve all community members in achieving sustainable development.

Customers can benefit from DEWA’s smart services available on its website and smart app, to monitor water leakage immediately. These services include the Smart Living initiative with several smart features that enable self-monitoring of consumption and the High-Water Usage Alert service.

Smart Living

The Smart Living initiative uses a proactive means of interacting with customers. It enables them to monitor their consumption through a private dashboard and receive daily, monthly, and annual consumption reports. Through the ‘My Sustainable Living Programme’, they can compare their consumption with similar homes. It also provides them offers on DEWA Store to purchase energy and water-saving devices. Through the ‘Away Mode’ service, they can receive daily and weekly email reports when they activate the service or travel. The initiative also includes an auto-scheduling feature to make an appointment for a technical team visit with real-time updates. DEWA has also added a call-back feature on smart channels for customers to schedule a DEWA agent to call them back. The new Self-Assessment tool includes a survey on electricity and water consumption for customers to assess their consumption. After completing the assessment, customers receive a detailed report on their usage and customised tips. DEWA provides the High-Water Usage Alert under the Smart Response initiative to help customers detect leakages in water connections after the meter.

DEWA also provides tips on its website and smart app, that help customers reduce their usage at home and save natural resources. Here are some tips:

AC

• Keep your thermostat set at 24°C, or higher. Each degree increase in temperature can save up to 5% on AC consumption.
• The optimal lifetime of an AC is nearly ten years. If yours are older, consider replacing it with a new energy-efficient one.
• Clogged or dirty AC filters can block the normal airflow and reduce the AC’s efficiency. It is recommended to clean your AC filters periodically or at least once every three months.
• Apply weather stripping and caulking around all doors and windows to keep cool air inside your home.

Cooling

• Adjust the refrigerator’s temperature to 4 degrees Celsius and the freezer at -18 degrees Celsius or refer to the refrigerator’s guide to prevent energy waste.
• Place the fridge away from heat sources such as sun rays, oven, dishwasher, clothes dryer etc., to preserve its efficiency.
• Check your refrigerator and freezer door gaskets periodically for signs of deterioration.
• Allow hot food to cool down before placing it in your refrigerator.

Lighting

• Use LED lights and clean them regularly to avoid dust accumulation.
• Turn off unnecessary lights and use natural lighting during summer.
• Use timers or motion-sensors to control the light’s operation, wherever applicable.
• Install dimmers to control the brightness of lights and reduce energy consumption.

Cooking

• Use a microwave instead of your main oven whenever possible, as it consumes less energy.
• Use flat-bottom pans for best contact with the heat, with tight-fitting lids to keep the steam in the container. Pressure cookers use lesser energy than ordinary pots and pans.

Dishwashers and Washing Machines

• Only run your dishwasher and washing machines.
• When purchasing a new appliance, look for high-efficient one. This will allow you to select more energy and water-efficient cycles when heavy-duty cleaning is not required.
• Dryers consume a lot of electricity. Take advantage of the sunshine and hang your clothes to dry.

Bathrooms & toilets

• New toilets use up to 6 litres of water per flush, saving about 6 litres per flush compared to the older models, resulting in an annual water saving of around 10,000 litres per person.
• Check toilets periodically for leaks and repair them promptly.
• Replace the regular showerhead with a water-efficient one.
• Install aerators on your kitchen and bathroom faucets.

Irrigation

• Water your plants before 8 am or after 6 pm to reduce evaporative losses.
• Check sprinkler system valves periodically for leaks and keep the sprinkler heads in good condition.
• Place your sprinkler, so it only waters the lawn, not the pavement. Avoid sprinklers that spray a fine mist.

General tips

• When purchasing a new appliance, consider high-efficient one
• Wash your car with a bucket of soapy water instead of using a hose
• Cover your swimming pool to reduce water losses due to evaporation.