Dubai Municipality has extended the bidding deadline for an engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contract for a major dam rehabilitation project in Hatta.

The tender was issued by the Sewerage and Recycled Water Projects Department and covers the rehabilitation and construction of four dams: Hatta, Ghabra, Al-Khattem and Suhaila.

The new bid submission deadline is 14 May. The original deadline was 16 April.

Located in the Wadi Hatta region, the dams are designed to capture seasonal rainfall, regulate wadi flows and reduce the risk of flash flooding. 

The Hatta Dam is approximately 32 metres high with a crest length of about 220 metres, with a core made of asphalt concrete and gravel embankment.

It is understood that exposure to heavy rainfall and natural wear have affected key structural elements over time, necessitating rehabilitation works to restore structural integrity.

The $80m project represents the most comprehensive upgrade to the emirate’s ageing wadi flood-control infrastructure in decades. 

The project scope includes inspection and structural assessment of each dam, including geological and hydrological surveys.

It also involves concrete repairs and leakage control, as well as the installation of advanced dam safety instrumentation and monitoring systems.

In 2024, Dubai Electricity & Water Authority (Dewa) completed work on a water reservoir project in Hatta and on a nearby, separate sustainable waterfall project.

Local firms Binladin Contracting Group and Green Oasis General Contracting were the main EPC contractors on the respective projects.

The Ministry of Energy & Infrastructure has also been planning a major dam and canals project involving 13 residential areas across the UAE. 

The project, approved in 2024 by the Executive Committee for the President’s Initiatives, includes nine water dams, the expansion of two existing ones and the creation of several embankment barriers.

According to MEED Projects, the $100m project will have a total storage capacity of up to 8 million cubic metres.

The project is still in the early stages of development and is forecast to be tendered in 2027.