Water scarcity is one of the most pressing challenges facing the Middle East, with the UAE being at high risk of water scarcity, according to the Destination Water Risk Index (DWRI) by World Sustainable Hospitality Alliance.
Why Water Stewardship Matters in Hospitality
Hotels are among the largest water consumers in the tourism industry, with a single property using millions of gallons annually for guest rooms, pools, kitchens, and landscaping.
In water-stressed regions like the UAE, this consumption has profound implications on operational costs, along with community water security and environmental sustainability. By taking ownership of their water usage, hotels demonstrate corporate responsibility and set industry standards. More importantly, they prove that conservation doesn’t require sacrificing guest experience; it requires smarter management and commitment.
For properties like The Chedi Al Bait Sharjah, water stewardship becomes a competitive advantage and a model for peers.
What started as a routine sustainability review uncovered something far more significant than anticipated—a network of hidden leaks silently draining thousands of gallons of water every day.
Here’s how the engineering team, led by Avinissery Dasan, dug deep to protect one of our region’s most precious resources.
When Numbers Don’t Add Up
Every engineer knows that utility reports tell a story. In The Chedi’s case, during a comprehensive review of utility consumption, the team noticed something unusual: their water usage was unexpectedly high through a pattern that emerged in the daily water meter readings, particularly in the pool filling line.
A Hotel-Wide Problem
What started as concern about a single pool quickly revealed itself to be a more complex issue. The team identified major water leakages across four areas of the hotel:
- The Khalid Ibrahim Villa Pool
- The Heritage Block Garden
- The Library Courtyard
- The Spa Area
Case Study 1: The Khalid Ibrahim Villa Pool
High readings on the pool filling line water meter of the villa led to the Engineering team finding a leak that was occurring in the circulation line—the network of pipes running through concrete and marble surfaces throughout the property.
Simply breaking up the entire surface wasn’t practical or cost-effective. The team utilised a dedicated underground pipe leak detection company equipped with advanced technology to pinpoint the exact location of the leak without excavation.
Once identified, the team executed a precise repair, resulting in saving up to 16000 gallons of water a day.
Case Study 2: The Heritage Block Garden
Finding a leak in an irrigation system is like searching for a needle in a haystack, especially when that needle is buried underground.
The team conducting the investigation used a process of systematic isolation. They closed individual irrigation section valves one by one—some for an entire day, others for shorter periods—while continuously monitoring water meter readings.
This helped narrow down which section was responsible for the anomalous consumption. Eventually, the pattern emerged, and the knew exactly where to look and repair.
Case Study 3: The Paradox of Healthy Plants
During the site inspection of the affected garden area, the hotel team noticed certain plants were thriving despite receiving no irrigation water.
This raised the question: How could these plants be so healthy without water? A deep dive was carried out and discovered the source: a damaged PVC elbow joint, leaking water directly into the soil and, unintentionally, nourishing the nearby vegetation.
Once repaired, the water loss was stopped but also learned a valuable lesson about the interconnected nature of the hotel water systems.
The Savings
The hotel’s swift action reduced daily water consumption by 47%—from 15,000 gallons to 8,000 gallons. Combined with 16,000 gallons saved from fixing a pool leak, the team achieved a total daily savings of 23,000 gallons.
Over 12 months, the impact is substantial—both environmentally and financially. These repairs deliver meaningful savings on water bills, but their true value lies in ongoing operational efficiency that compounds year after year.
The Journey to Water Stewardship
By remaining vigilant about our resource consumption and willing to dig deeper—sometimes literally—we can continue to reduce our environmental footprint while maintaining the highest standards at the hotel.
Here’s what we’ve learned:
Sustainability doesn’t require perfection. It requires attention. Look at your numbers and if something seems off, an investigation will bring to light something that requires fixing.
When hotels commit to water stewardship, they become stewards not just of resources, but of the future.
- Browse water conservation solutions on the Kiosk Marketplace, validated for hospitality
- Listen to our Sustainability Stories podcast episode where we explore water stewardship in hotels
- Read the Destination Water Risk Index by World Sustainable Hospitality Alliance
- Benchmark your hotels water usage using the Hotel Water Measurement Index by World Sustainable Hospitality Alliance
- Read hotel case studies on other intriguing initiatives taking place around the UAE
