Dubai: In a significant leap towards digital transformation, the Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) has announced a further reduction in the time required to refund security deposits to just eight minutes. This process, which no longer requires human intervention, is applicable to amounts up to AED4,000 and accounts for approximately 90% of refund requests.
According to Emirates News Agency, Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, the MD and CEO of DEWA, highlighted this development as part of the ongoing efforts to embrace digitalisation in Dubai. He stated that aligning with the emirate's goal to become a global digital capital, DEWA is integrating Fourth Industrial Revolution technologies and artificial intelligence across its operations. Al Tayer noted the progress made from initially reducing the security deposit refund time from four days to 30 minutes, and now further down to eight minutes, as part of providing a fully digital customer experience.
The new system operates independently of official working hours, enhancing operational efficiency and allowing DEWA staff to focus on innovation and service improvement. This development comes amid continuous growth in customer accounts, which reached 1,346,985 by the end of March 2026, marking a 5.08% increase compared to the same period in 2025. Al Tayer emphasized DEWA's commitment to smart and sustainable services, as well as enhancing electricity, water, and digital infrastructure to accommodate Dubai's population growth and development.
During the first quarter of 2026, DEWA completed over 3.7 million digital transactions, up from more than 3.5 million in the same period in 2025. This rise demonstrates the growing adoption of digital channels and the effectiveness of DEWA's digital service ecosystem in providing seamless customer experiences. By the end of December 2025, customer accounts totaled 1,327,182, which increased to 1,346,985 by the end of March 2026, reflecting a 1.49% growth in the first quarter of the year.