WETEX expands water innovation focus for 2026

WETEX 2026 will give greater prominence to advanced water technologies as Dubai seeks to strengthen water security, expand efficient desalination and accelerate the use of artificial intelligence in utility networks.

The 28th Water, Energy, Technology and Environment Exhibition, organised by Dubai Electricity and Water Authority, will run from 20 to 22 October at the Dubai World Trade Centre. The exhibition is being held under the directives of HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, and under the patronage of HH Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman of the Dubai Supreme Council of Energy.

Water-sector participants will use the exhibition to present technologies covering desalination, purification, smart networks, leakage detection, wastewater treatment, resource management and renewable energy-powered water production. The focus comes as utilities across the Gulf seek to meet rising demand while reducing the energy intensity and environmental footprint of water production.

WETEX has developed into one of the region’s largest specialist platforms for energy, water and sustainability technologies. Its 2025 edition attracted 3,100 exhibitors and more than 50,000 visitors, covered 95,000 square metres and included 18 international pavilions. It also hosted 114 specialised sessions and brought companies, investors and government organisations together through business-to-business and business-to-government meetings.

The water segment this year is expected to reflect a shift towards seawater reverse osmosis, artificial intelligence, automation and data-driven network management. These technologies are becoming increasingly important as Dubai’s population and economic activity expand, adding pressure on water infrastructure and requiring utilities to increase capacity without proportionately increasing energy consumption.

DEWA’s installed desalinated water production capacity reached 555 million imperial gallons per day by the end of June, after the commissioning of the first 60-million-gallon-per-day block of the Hassyan seawater reverse osmosis plant. The authority expects additional reverse-osmosis capacity to come online during 2026 as construction progresses at Hassyan.

The Hassyan project is planned to reach a capacity of 180 million imperial gallons per day after all phases are completed, with full completion scheduled for the first quarter of 2027. Built under the independent water producer model, the project involves investment of about AED3.38 billion and is designed to use clean energy for desalination.

Dubai plans to lift total desalination capacity to 735 million imperial gallons per day by 2030. About 308 million gallons per day of that capacity is expected to use seawater reverse osmosis, reducing dependence on conventional thermal desalination methods. The shift reflects a broader strategy to separate water production from fossil-fuel-based electricity generation and improve overall resource efficiency.

Water demand has continued to rise alongside Dubai’s growth. Desalinated water production reached 40.25 billion imperial gallons during the second quarter of 2026. Daily peak water demand had already climbed to 487 million imperial gallons in 2025, while average daily demand reached more than 442 million gallons.

Digitalisation is emerging as another major theme for the sector. DEWA’s Hydro Insight platform now analyses information from more than 1.1 million smart water meters every 15 minutes. The artificial intelligence and data-science system is designed to identify abnormalities and operational problems faster, allowing engineers to move from reactive fault management towards predictive maintenance.

The system has reduced the time required to detect some meter anomalies from about 30 days to one hour. Smart monitoring also supports efforts to control network losses, which stood at about 4.4 per cent in Dubai in 2025.

WETEX will provide technology developers with access to utilities, infrastructure companies, investors, government bodies and engineering groups looking for systems capable of increasing water efficiency. Solutions involving sensors, digital twins, machine learning, membrane technology, energy recovery and renewable-powered desalination are increasingly being integrated into large utility projects.

The exhibition will also include dedicated water seminars alongside sessions on renewable energy, sustainability, innovation, green mobility and health and safety. The World Green Economy Summit will be held at the Dubai World Trade Centre on 21 and 22 October alongside WETEX, bringing policymakers and industry executives into discussions on investment and the transition towards lower-carbon infrastructure.