How Arab governments are taking advantage of modern technology to conserve limited water resources
Dubai: For decades, the Middle East and North Africa region has struggled to meet its growing water needs. With a rapidly growing population and natural sources of fresh water rapidly depleting, it is more urgent than ever to find sustainable solutions to address the precarious state of water security in the region.
Water insecurity has fueled conflict and political tension in many Arab countries, with significant impacts on the health and well-being of people there. In countries such as Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, Yemen, and even several states in the Gulf, many communities do not have access to clean water in abundance.
While nearly 40 percent of the global population experiences water scarcity, the MENA region is considered one of the most water-insecure regions in the world, with nearly 90 percent of children living in areas of high or extremely high water stress. According to UNICEF, the region is home to 11 of the 17 most water stressed countries in the world.
Iraq’s southern marshes of Chibayysh, the iconic home of the biblical Garden of Eden, have been battered by drought as well as decreased river flow from neighboring Turkey and Iran. (AFP)
“Countries with rapid population growth, an arid climate, and highly water-consuming agricultural activities are at a very high risk of experiencing significant water shortages before 2050. Therefore these countries need to undertake large counter operations to negate the pending impact will be needed,” Saad, CEO and co-founder of Walid World of Farming, told Arab News.
“This is a challenge that requires a collaborative approach between public and private sector organizations and the implementation of technology and innovative solutions across industries to help ensure greater water efficiency and security for future generations.”
a Orient Planet Research 2020 Report It was found that the water needs of the Gulf Cooperation Council region will reach 33,733 cubic meters per year by 2050. However, the estimated future storage of the field is just 25,855 cubic metres.
Orient Planet Research Illustration
This means that the region needs to increase its water reserves by 77 percent within the next 30 years to meet the needs of its population.
Identifying ways to adapt and reduce climate pressures has become a top priority for regional governments. The coming year is expected to be one of the warmest on record, with extreme weather events likely to increase in scale and frequency and, in the process, exacerbate the water-stressed region’s existing problems.
innumbers
The 11 most water-stressed countries in the world (out of a total of 17) that are in the MENA region.
90% of children in areas with high or extremely high water stress in MENA.
77% increase in water reserves needed by 2050 to meet the needs of GCC populations.
By the end of the century, scientists expect average temperatures in the Middle East to rise by up to 5°C, potentially rendering parts of the region uninhabitable if urgent action is not taken to tackle the causes of man-made climate change. Will be made
In addition to extreme weather, climate-related water scarcity is expected to reduce the region’s GDP by up to 14 percent over the coming 30 years, according to the World Bank.
Since about 60 percent of the region’s fresh water originates from outlying regions, international relations also play an important role in water security.
A view of the Shatt al-Arab waterway, where the Euphrates and Tigris meet, in the southern Iraqi city of Basra. Both the rivers originate from Turkey. (AFP)
The Nile, for example, borders 10 other African countries before reaching Egypt, making Ethiopia’s GERD dam project a point of contention, while Iraq and Syria are fed by the Tigris and Euphrates, both of which Originating in neighboring countries. Turkey where big dam projects are also going on.
Jordan and the West Bank, meanwhile, depend on the Jordan River, which has its source in Israeli territory. Conflict, rivalry and failures to cooperate on shared water access can lead to pollutants, fish-stock depletion and water loss further downstream.
Faced with these challenges, many Arab governments are now prioritizing investment in new innovations and technologies to help preserve freshwater sources, recycle and reuse wastewater, and improve seawater desalination. environmental damage can be reduced.
Israel’s Hadera desalination plant plans to pump excess production into the Sea of Galilee, which is depleted by overuse and threatened by climate change. (AFP)
“Technologies such as membrane bioreactors, reverse osmosis and ultraviolet disinfection are being used to treat wastewater to a high level, making it suitable for reuse in irrigation, industrial and even potable uses” is,” Fawzi Al-Dibis, manager of sustainability and climate change at WSP Middle East, told Arab News.
Another solution is local greywater treatment, which allows water to be used and reused at the source, thereby avoiding additional pumping costs. According to the United Nations, currently, about 80 percent of the world’s wastewater is being released into the environment untreated.
Atmospheric water harvesting is another promising means of overcoming water scarcity by collecting water from the air in a variety of ways including condensation, dew collection and fog harvesting.
Water is harvested from fog clouds in Morocco using technology developed by the German Water Foundation. (supply)
Agriculture accounts for about 80 percent of the MENA region’s water use, compared to a global average of 70 percent. According to the World Bank, fresh water is being drawn from natural underground aquifers at a faster rate than can be replenished.
Al-Dibis told Arab News that new smart water management systems are being developed, using artificial intelligence technology, to monitor and control this dwindling resource.
“These technologies help analyze data from a variety of sources, such as weather forecasts and sensor networks, to more accurately predict water availability and optimize the distribution and use of water resources,” he said.
According to the World Bank, agriculture alone accounts for about 80 percent of water use in the MENA region. (supply)
If farming and irrigation can be made more sustainable, Saad says the region could reduce its carbon footprint by growing more of its own crops, thereby reducing its reliance on imported goods.
“The use of smart irrigation and automation in agriculture provides savings in water consumption by optimizing the amount of water required over a controlled time period,” he said. The process can be automated using remote wireless sensors that collect live data to make accurate predictions about irrigation schedules, locations and requirements.
A more holistic approach, implementing “a closed-loop system” in agricultural operations, can reduce stress on all elements of the water supply in the region and reduce existing reliance on transport, outsourcing and infrastructure beyond the local ecosystem. Can do.
A sample of a closed-loop water treatment system for crops, designed by e-Gro, a collaborative effort of American floriculture experts. (Diagram courtesy of e-gro.org)
Clean technologies and other innovations are also being deployed to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions and other harmful byproducts during the desalination process. “Fortunately, the science of new materials is offering new solutions for current desalination plants,” said Al-Dibis.
Saad agreed that it is important to take advantage of new technologies to reduce the sector’s reliance on desalination to meet water needs. “The Middle East is leading the way for many of these developments due to its dry climate and heavy reliance on imports,” he said.
The UAE launched its Net Zero 2050 strategy in 2021, which aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in line with its global climate commitments and address its own environmental challenges.
Engineers monitor control panels at a desalination plant in the Omani port city of Sur, south of the capital Muscat. (AFP)
The UAE’s water table has declined by about 1 meter per year over the past 30 years, giving the country less than 50 years until all of its natural freshwater resources are exhausted.
Similarly, Saudi Arabia has launched its Vision 2030 initiative, part of which focuses on optimal use of water resources, reducing consumption and using renewable water, along with the Saudi Green and Middle East Green initiatives.
The Kingdom’s NEOM smart city giga-project is taking shape on the Red Sea coast, which aims to reduce average water losses from 30 percent to 3 percent by opting for infrastructure construction and innovative technology through Enova, its energy and water subsidiary. Do the percentage.
NEOM says it will have strategically located water reservoirs throughout its network and 10 pipelines and pumping stations to ensure abundant drinking water supply. (supply)
“This effort will provide a blueprint for achieving sustainable water and resource management on a large scale, and once achieved, a successful model that can be replicated or adopted by the rest of the world,” Saad said.
Recognizing that technology and real-time innovation are essential to reduce water wastage, Saad believes that conservation of natural resources can only be achieved through collaboration between governments, businesses and consumers .
“The decisions we make about where we source and consume our food and the way we live our daily lives can all have an impact,” he said.
“Everyone can contribute to the overall goal of sustainability by addressing their daily habits and decisions.”
