AER - Arabian Equipment Staff
18 Jun 2025
AER’s Expertise in Preventing Common Dewatering Failures on Construction Sites Across Dubai and Abu Dhabi
Dewatering is one of the most critical early steps in any construction project across the Gulf. Whether preparing foundations, trenches or utility corridors, keeping groundwater under control is essential for safety, stability and progress. Yet despite its importance, many contractors in Dubai and Abu Dhabi still face costly issues due to avoidable mistakes in dewatering planning and execution.
Arabian Equipment (AER) has worked on hundreds of projects across the UAE, providing not just pumps but end-to-end solutions that help prevent these issues before they escalate. Below are the three most common and costly dewatering mistakes in the region and how AER helps clients avoid them.
Mistake 1: Poor Assessment of Site Conditions
One of the most frequent and expensive errors is underestimating or misreading the ground conditions. Many project teams rely on basic data or past experience, assuming the same dewatering system will work from one site to another. However, groundwater behaviour can vary dramatically even within the same development zone.
In coastal areas of Dubai, reclaimed land can lead to unpredictable water flow and perched aquifers. In Abu Dhabi, variable soil layering and high salinity can affect pump performance and pipework durability.
How AER Helps:
AER conducts detailed site-specific assessments before proposing any solution. This includes reviewing borehole logs, soil permeability, water table depth and environmental constraints. Systems are then designed around these realities; not assumptions, ensuring safe, reliable performance from day one.
Mistake 2: Incorrect Pump Selection or Sizing
Another major issue is choosing the wrong pump type or sizing it incorrectly. A system that is too small will not keep up with inflow, while an oversized pump can increase fuel or power costs and wear out unnecessarily.
This mistake often occurs when contractors rush procurement or rely on generic rental catalogues without technical input.
How AER Helps:
Rather than offering off the shelf options, AER provides tailored pump configurations based on the exact lift height, discharge distance and flow rate required. The result is a system that balances efficiency and power, avoiding underperformance or overspend. Whether it is wellpoint, deep well or submersible, the selection is engineered, not guessed.
Mistake 3: Lack of Contingency Planning or Backup Systems
Many projects in the UAE operate on tight deadlines with little margin for downtime. But unexpected events such as sudden rainfall, equipment failure or groundwater surges can halt progress instantly if no contingency is in place.
Without backup pumps or an emergency plan, the consequences can include flooded sites, structural damage or HSE violations, particularly serious on government or public sector works.
How AER Helps:
AER builds redundancy and risk management into every system. This may include standby units, dual power options or remote monitoring. In flood-prone areas or near live infrastructure, AER also offers 24-hour support with rapid response teams on call in both Dubai and Abu Dhabi.
Conclusion
Dewatering is not just a setup phase; it is a critical part of a project’s overall risk profile. Mistakes in assessment, pump sizing or contingency can lead to days of delay and thousands in lost productivity.
By working with Arabian Equipment, contractors across Dubai, Abu Dhabi and the wider Gulf region gain a technical partner who not only supplies equipment but designs solutions that prevent failure before it begins.
If your next project involves groundwater control and you want to avoid costly surprises, AER is ready to support with experience, precision and reliability.
