In November 2015, Water. Desalination + reuse (Faversham House) reported that the Environment Agency - Abu Dhabi (EAD) opposed adding desalination capacity in the emirate. The agency pointed to high energy demand and to the effect of concentrated discharges on marine life. Its alternative relied on lower consumption, efficient irrigation and water reuse: all treated wastewater was to be recycled by 2018, and a water budget aimed to cut use by 30% by 2030. Only about 3% of local groundwater was still rated good quality.
The report showed an authority in one of the largest desalination markets stressing the limits of new plants and giving priority to demand management and reuse.