DEWA Water Tariff

Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) charges residential water consumption in tiers, sometimes called slabs: usage up to a certain volume is billed at one rate, and consumption above that threshold is billed at a higher rate for the additional units, rather than the whole bill jumping to the higher rate. Electricity is billed the same way.

For garden watering specifically, this means an inefficient irrigation system, such as an over-scheduled sprinkler zone, has a compounding effect on the bill: not only is more water used, but the extra units are more likely to fall into a higher-priced tier than water used more efficiently. Fixing coverage problems, moving to drip irrigation where appropriate, and correcting run-times can reduce a bill by more than the raw water saved would suggest.

Exact thresholds and rates change periodically and differ by customer category. This entry deliberately doesn't state current figures; check DEWA's own site for the tariff in effect at the time.