All the supply of electricity and water in Al Ain is handled by the Al Ain Distribution Company. (It’s not like in the UK etc where there are a number of suppliers charging different prices.)

There are 2 ways to pay your bills. Option 1…

• Go to an Al Ain Distribution counter: there’s one below Megamart in Al Ain Mall: go down the moving walkway: it’s opposite Gloria Jeans coffee shop.
• Give the staff there the number of your account which is on the electricity meter at your property. The bill they give you will cover electricity and water. Sometimes that bill is entirely in Arabic, so there’s an element of trust when you pay!. At least you’ll be going away with a receipt.

Pay

Option 2…

• Go to an Etisalat payment machine: there’s one in Jimi Mall next to the far right entrance.
• Enter your account number
• Feed in bank notes
• Collect your receipt

Let me know if you know of other places where there is a payment machine or payment counter, or any other info to improve this article.

New developments in Al Ain don’t have mains water at first: it has to be delivered in tankers…

The hose is connected to taps outside the gates of villas…

The water is stored in units next to each villa. These are one next to our villa. When they overflow, our warden yells to the guy in the tanker to turn off the tap! Not a very elegant way to regulate how much water to transfer! …

Such water which is delivered to us is paid for by the landlord. My understanding is that once the mains connections are established, we’ll be individually metered.