Services & Utilities
Water, Electricity & Sewerage disposal is managed by ADWEA (Abu Dhabi Water & Electricity Association) and after accommodation it will be your main monthly household outgoing.
ADWEA charge a standard rate per unit currently 20 fils /unit for electricity, 3 fils/unit for water and 0.5 fils/unit for sewerage. Bills will fluctuate throughout the year, electricity bills being higher during the summer months when air conditioning is on 24/7 and gardens need to be watered more frequently. If you chose to have a pool, then this will also add to your bill. If you chose to heat/chill your pool this will significantly increase your ADWEA bill, for this reason residents tend to heat their pools in winter but not chill in summer as chilling is much more expensive and many expatriate families avail of the school holidays and leave during the hot summer months.
ADWEA registration can be done in person at an ADWEA office or on-line. www.adwea.ae registering in person can be time consuming at the time but may save you a lot of headache in the long run.
Tap water in Abu Dhabi is desalinated sea water and is perfectly safe to drink , however, most expatriates tend to use bottled water. This is relatively cheap and readily available from supermarkets or even more conveniently – delivered to your door by one of the many water suppliers in Dubai.
Electricity supply is 220/240v and 3 pin square plugs are most common, however 2 pin flat plugs may still accompany some appliances. Adaptors are readily available at supermarkets or from a safety perspective, simply change the plug.