One of the major costs of living is utility bills in Dubai. However, DEWA got you covered with necessary smart solutions to reduce your DEWA bill. From using energy efficient appliances to installing thermostats, you can significantly lower your electricity and water bills in Dubai.
These strategies not only help reduce your DEWA bill but also contribute to environmental conservation. This blog post will inform you about how to effectively cut down on your electricity and water consumption.
Use The DEWA App
The first step to reducing your DEWA bill is closely monitoring your consumption. Now you can easily do that with the DEWA smart app using their ‘Smart Living’ feature. This feature comes at the behest of DEWA’s commitment to becoming net zero by 2050.
Consumption Assessment Tool
All DEWA customers can open their apps to access the ‘Consumption Assessment Tool’, which generates a report based on your consumption history. The app will also suggest improvements based on the report by comparing usage with comparable homes.
Check Daily Usage
The app’s most innovative feature is the ability to see your daily usage if your home has a smart meter. This real-time usage data is revolutionary. Just checking it daily will make you more mindful of your consumption habits.
So, there is no need to wait for next month’s bill to see if you improved since you can check the electricity bill.
Notification for Leakage
One more amazing feature of the DEWA app is its ability to notify in the event of a leakage. Major underground water leakages can go unnoticed for long periods, shocking the consumers when DEWA sends a bill.
As you follow the tips mentioned later in the blog post, you will see the effects of your efforts by the end of the day.
Tips for Reducing Electricity Consumption
Here are a few reliable ways to reduce your DEWA bill:
Manage Your Electricity Slab
Following the Dubai Supreme Council of Energy’s decision, DEWA applies a fuel surcharge and slab tariff on electricity and water consumption. Your fuel surcharge is calculated based on changes in fuel prices supplied to DEWA generation plants.
However, your slab tariff structure increases prices progressively as electricity and water consumption rise. In other words, the first 2000 units you use will be at least 20% cheaper than the subsequent 2000 units.
Here is the breakdown of the slabs:
| Energy Usage (kWh/month) | Slab tariff (AED/kWh) | |
| Green | < 2000 | 0.23 |
| Yellow | 2001-4000 | 0.28 |
| Orange | 4001 – 6000 | 0.32 |
| Red | 6000 + | 0.38 |
As you can see, the lowest slab is 65% cheaper than the highest one. Just managing your slabs and staying under the lower slabs will have an extremely significant saving effect on your DEWA bill.
Set your goal to go one slab lower than your current one by the next month. Working towards a goal makes it easier to concentrate your efforts.
Alternatively, instead of reducing your DEWA bill, eliminate your electricity usage by taking advantage of Dubai’s ample sunlight and switching to solar power.
Optimize AC Usage
Air conditioning is essential in Dubai’s climate, but it is also the biggest contributor to high electricity bills. Just avoiding careless usage of your A/C can reduce your DEWA bill by a third.
- Keep your thermostat at a consistent 24°C during the summer. This is an optimal temperature for comfort and energy efficiency.
- Confirm that your air conditioner is set to automatic mode. With this, your A/C shuts off and restarts at intervals, maintaining a steady temperature without excessive energy use.
- Caulk and weatherstrip doors and windows to prevent cool air from escaping and hot air from entering.
- Defective A/Cs provide inadequate cooling, but they consume more electricity. To maintain efficiency, air conditioner filters should be replaced regularly, and the unit should be serviced.
- Keep blinds and curtains closed during the hottest day to reduce cooling costs.
Use the Lights Consciously
Energy wastage due to lights can have a significant cumulative effect at the end of the month. Lights consume low energy, that’s true, but their sheer numbers make them a
- Always turn off lights when leaving a room. Use task lighting where necessary to illuminate specific areas instead of lighting an entire room.
- Replace incandescent bulbs with fluorescent lamps or LEDs, which are more energy-efficient and have a longer lifespan.
- Dust and grime can reduce light output. Regularly clean your light bulbs and fixtures to maintain their efficiency.
Get Energy Efficient With Appliances
Electronic appliances that ease your every chore are a staple of modern living. However, if left unchecked, they can be major power hogs.
- When purchasing new appliances, look for energy-efficient models that consume less power. Choose washing machines, dishwashers, and other appliances with high energy and water efficiency ratings.
- Many electronics consume power even when turned off. Unplug devices like chargers, computers and entertainment systems when not in use.
- Avoid using appliances with high wattage consumption on a whim. Use your washer, dryer, freezer, iron, oven, air fryer, hair dryer, toaster, and electric kettles more sparsely.
- Do not use the hot water setting, and modern detergents work just as well with room-temperature water.
- Control the habit of checking the refrigerator pointlessly and do not leave the door open for long periods.
Tips to Reduce Water Consumption
Here’s a quick look at how to reduce water consumption:
Manage Water Slab
Like electricity tariffs, DEWA implements a slab tariff structure for water consumption. This means the first 6,000 gallons of water consumed in a month will be charged at the lowest rate.
If you exceed this threshold and consume additional gallons in the same month, those extra gallons will be billed at a higher rate. This discourages excessive water use and promotes conservation.
| Usage (Gallons/ month) | Slab tariff (AED/gallon) | ||
| Green | < 6000 | 0.035 | |
| Yellow | 6000-12000 | 0.040 | |
| Red | 12000 + | 0.046 | |
Be Mindful of Water Usage in Bathrooms
For most homes, the bathroom is the area where most water is consumed. Start by just turning off the tap when you do not need it. Nothing extraordinary is required; simple changes can lead to substantial water savings.
- Keep showers short and consider installing low-flow showerheads to reduce water usage.
- Simply turning off the tap when you brush your teeth can save approximately 3 gallons of water. Even better, you can fill a cup to rinse your mouth and save about 4 gallons.
- A dripping tap can waste a significant amount of water. Ensure all taps and pipes are leak-free.
- Upgrade to dual flush toilets, which use less water for liquid waste and more for solid waste. This simple change can drastically cut water consumption.
- Install automatic taps that shut off when there is nothing under the faucet.
Use Kitchen Water Wisely
Water usage in the kitchen can be optimized with a few straightforward adjustments. This makes major contributions to overall water conservation.
- When washing dishes by hand, use a basin rather than letting the water run. If you use a dishwasher, run it only when fully loaded for maximum efficiency.
- Avoid running the tap continuously when washing vegetables or fruits. Instead, fill a basin with water for rinsing.
Do Your Laundry Carefully
Washing machines and dryers are major power consumers. Using them daily or multiples a day is not good for your wallet. But thankfully, you can reduce the frequency of the usage by waiting and accumulating your dirty laundry. So keep these tips in mind for the future:
- Operate the washing machine only with full loads and use the appropriate water level setting for the size of the load.
- When buying a dryer, look for one with a moisture sensor that automatically shuts off the machine when your clothes are dry.
Don’t Overwater When Landscaping:
- Overwatering is a major issue, so limiting the frequency of watering and avoiding wasteful sprinklers can result in substantial savings.
- Plant trees and shrubs to provide natural shading for your home, reducing the need for air conditioning.
FAQs
The DEWA cancellation fee is 100 AED for small meters and 300 AED for large meters.
Here are a few pointers that will make the most significant reduction in your DEWA bill:
– Install the DEWA app to monitor your daily usage.
– Try not to exceed higher slabs in tariff.
– Unplug chargers, computers, and entertainment systems when they are not in use.
– Limit usage of high-wattage appliances.
– Turn off lights when not in use.
– Keep A/C at 24°C.
– Install low-flow showerheads.
– Turn off taps when not needed.
– Wash clothes with full loads.
Dubai residents can significantly reduce their DEWA bills while contributing to the sustainability of the environment. Every small step counts, and implementing these tips will not only lead to substantial savings on your utility bills but also reduce your carbon footprint.
Remember, conservation is a shared responsibility. It’s our job to come together and save our thriving green planet.
