DEWA cuts security deposit refund time from 4 days to just 8 minutes

Dubai residents can now get their security deposit refunds from the Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) in just eight minutes. This is a drastic reduction from the four days it previously took under the manual system.

This cut in time was made possible because DEWA has automated the process using artificial intelligence, with the new system handling refunds of up to Dh 4,000, covering approximately 90 per cent of all requests.

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Initially, DEWA had cut down the time needed for approval and cut it down from four days to 30 minutes. 

Now, the time has been further reduced to only eight minutes through an advanced system that relies on a robust verification mechanism. 

This enables direct refund transfers to customers’ accounts quickly, accurately and reliably via their International Bank Account Number (IBAN).

Last week UAE Vice President and Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum had announced a new government model in the country, which will see half of all federal sectors, services and operations run on agentic AI within two years.

Experts had said that this would make government services more proactive.

 Round-the-clock service

Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, MD and CEO of DEWA, said the new system operates independently of official working hours.

“In line with the vision and directives of our wise leadership to digitalise all aspects of life in Dubai and transform the emirate into a global digital capital, we continue to adopt the latest Fourth Industrial Revolution technologies and integrate artificial intelligence across all our operations,” he said.

The new system operates around the clock, independent of official working hours, enhancing operational efficiency and enabling staff to focus on innovation and service improvement, Al Tayer added.

“We have made significant progress in reducing the security deposit refund time from four days to 30 minutes, and now to just eight minutes. This is part of our continuous efforts to provide a pioneering, fully digital customer experience that enhances happiness, meets expectations and exceeds them.”

He added that the automated system enhances operational efficiency and enables staff to focus on innovation and service improvement. 

The initiative forms part of DEWA’s ongoing efforts to embed AI across all its services, operations and digital infrastructure to accelerate digital transformation and deliver proactive digital services that support sustainability.

The development comes as DEWA’s customer accounts continued to grow, reaching 1,346,985 by the end of March 2026- a 5.08 per cent increase compared to the same period in 2025. 

During the first quarter of 2026, DEWA completed more than 3.7 million digital transactions, up from more than 3.5 million transactions in the same period of 2025.