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29 March 2024

11-step guide to get Dh15,000 Dewa 'refund'

The Dubai utility has launched the 13th edition of the Best Consumer Award 2016. (File)

Published
By Vicky Kapur

For Dubai residents complaining of high utility bills, the Dubai Water and Electricity Authority (Dewa) is offering a golden opportunity to win back up to Dh15,000 by cutting down on their water and power consumption.

The Dubai utility has launched the 12th edition of the Best Consumer Award 2016, encouraging customers to use electricity and water sensibly, and in line with its strategy to reduce energy demand, and protect natural resources and ensure their sustainability.

The competition is open to all Dewa residential customers who accomplish a 15 per cent or more saving in both electricity and water consumption during the competition period (January 1 – December 31, 2016).

Dewa has increased the prize money this year, with the first prizewinner winning a cash award of Dh15,000 (compared with Dh10,000 last year) while the second placed winner will get Dh10,000 and the third placed winner will bag Dh5,000 in cash.

“At Dewa, we work to encourage the rational use of resources to become a way of life and a daily practice in society. This is achieved by encouraging customers to reduce their electricity and water use,” says Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, MD & CEO of Dewa.

Dubai Integrated Energy Strategy 2030 aims at reducing energy demand by 30 per cent by 2030. “Our goal is to become the city with the lowest carbon footprint in the world by 2050,” says Al Tayer.

Dewa’s 11-step guide for Dubai residents to slash their utility bill

1. Avoid using appliances during peak load hours (12noon to 5pm), especially in the summer months (June-September).

2. Unplug unnecessary appliances.

3. Wash your car with a bucket of water instead of using a hose pipe.

4. Take a 3-minute shower. Taking quick showers instead of a bath will save an average of 20 gallons (76 litres) of water.

5. Use the washing machine on full load. If you can't wait for a full load, use the right water level to match the size of the load. When in the market for a new machine, consider a high efficiency model that will use an average of 30 per cent less water and 40-50 per cent less energy.

6. Fix all water leaks.

7. Set your AC on 24 degrees.

8. Use smart irrigation systems. Water before 8am or after 6pm and avoid watering on windy days.

9.  Switch to energy efficient LED bulbs.

10. Use energy efficient appliances.

11. Install solar panels to save energy.

Earlier this month, Dewa honoured three grand prize winners of its smart services campaign with three brand new electric cars. That campaign was launched to encourage customers to adopting a culture of using smart services in a sustainable way.