Signed in 1999 as the first water PPP project in the GCC and wider MENA region, the Dubai Investment Park (DIP) Wastewater Treatment PPP Project pioneered private sector participation in water infrastructure at a time when PPP frameworks were still emerging across the Middle East. The project demonstrated the bankability and long-term viability of structured water project concessions in the region.
Located within Dubai Investment Park, a major industrial, commercial, and residential hub, the facility has expanded in phases to a total installed capacity of 56,000 m³/day, equivalent to serving the daily water needs of over 250,000 people.
By treating domestic and light industrial wastewater and supplying high-quality treated effluent for irrigation, cooling facilities and other non-potable applications, the plant reduces reliance on energy-intensive desalinated water — a critical priority in a country where desalination accounts for the majority of potable supply.
More than two decades on, DIP remains a benchmark wastewater PPP project in the UAE and region, supporting industrial competitiveness, enabling circular water use, and contributing to the objectives of the UAE Water Security Strategy 2036
| Project Category | Wastewater Treatment Plant |
| Project Type | Build – Operate – Own – Transfer (BOOT) |
| Role | Metito Utilities is the sole owner of the project. |
| Location | Dubai, United Arab Emirates |
| Capacity | 520,000 m3/day treatment capacity in addition to a water transmission pipeline of approximately 75km, and an in-field distribution network of more than 230km to support reservoir pressure maintenance in the Bab and Bu Hasa fields in Abu Dhabi |
| Year of Award | 1999 |
| Status | Under operation |