The Development and Investment Arm of Etihad Water and Electricity (EtihadWE) has signed an Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) agreement with NMDC Infra and Lantania Aguas for the Fujairah I Independent Water Producer (IWP) project, a 60 million imperial gallons per day (MIGD) seawater reverse osmosis (SWRO) desalination plant, with a total investment value of AED1.046 billion (US$285 million).

The Fujairah I IWP represents EtihadWE’s second desalination project developed in collaboration with the private sector through a PPP framework, succeeding the 150 MIGD Naqa’a IWP project. The desalination facility will be situated within the Port of Fujairah along the Gulf of Oman, benefiting from well-established marine and land transport infrastructure. Designed to produce 60 million imperial gallons of desalinated water per day, the plant will also include water storage facilities capable of holding up to 18 hours of production capacity.

Upon becoming operational, the desalination plant will ensure a reliable supply of potable water for residential communities, commercial establishments, and key industrial sectors in Fujairah as well as across EtihadWE’s distribution network, especially during high-demand periods. The project is intended to enhance the resilience and reliability of critical water infrastructure while ensuring uninterrupted water availability. The development is scheduled for completion within an estimated 30-month timeframe, encompassing construction activities, installation of process systems, and commissioning works. The facility is planned to commence operations initially at partial output before reaching its full desalinated water production capacity of 60 million imperial gallons per day. 

In 2017, the United Arab Emirates introduced the Water Security Strategy 2036 with the objective of lowering overall water resource demand by 21%, increasing the reuse rate of treated wastewater to 95%, and establishing sufficient water storage reserves to sustain the country for more than 45 days during emergency situations. Lantania NMDC Water was formed after NMDC Infra acquired a 51% shareholding in Spain-based Lantania Aguas, strengthening NMDC Group’s expertise and operational presence in desalination, water treatment, and wastewater infrastructure projects.