In terms of water scarcity and recycling, the Middle East is already far ahead of the curve

The realization of this is not novel. NASA said that the drought in the Middle East was the worst in 900 years in 2016. Rapid population expansion in the area has made matters worse. Meanwhile, significant progress has been made in the area with regards to wastewater purification and investments in water reuse.

Council nations face a unique set of water-related challenges, such as the need to build greenfield wastewater collection and treatment infrastructure and the expansion of alternative water sources, including water reuse. However, the area is making strides to meet its water demands.

Implementing policies and ambitious targets to drive change

Through the GCC Unified Water Strategy, the Council states have committed to a regional goal of increasing the use of reclaimed and purified sewage effluent to 90% by 2035. Through the GCC Unified Water Strategy, all GCC nations have committed to doubling the amount of wastewater collected and doubling the amount of water that can be reused by 2030. Five out of the six GCC states have reported yearly investment plans in wastewater infrastructure totaling US$5.21 billion.

While many developed nations will need to consider upgrading their wastewater systems in order to recycle the water, the GCC has set initiatives and goals to do just that, as well as to build out significantly new capacity of wastewater treatment and collection networks. It's a win-win situation because they're solving pressing problems with garbage management and creating new water supplies at the same time.

Demand for access to stable water sources is rising in the Council area at the same time that wastewater management (collection and treatment) is becoming an increasing issue there. For a very long time, the Gulf Cooperation Council has met its water needs by pumping water from deep underground. However, groundwater supplies are being over-abstracted, prompting nations to seek out alternative sources. Due to technological developments, reclaimed water is now cheaper than desalination. When compared purely on the basis of cost with other water supplies, such as new groundwater sources or long-distance water transfers via new pipelines, reuse can struggle to compete in many areas, including most of the United States. In the Council, however, desalinated seawater is the only feasible option to reclaimed water supplies, and it is more costly to implement. California and Texas, two new U.S. marketplaces, are experiencing a water supply crunch and considering desalination projects as a solution to meet rising demand.

Business organisations are deciding to act independently and companies such as Proctor and Gamble has announced that by the of end 2022, 100% of P&G’s manufacturing sites located in high water stress areas including the Jeddah and Dammam, Saudi Arabia plants will develop a water stewardship action plan.

Middle East already carving a blue future

The World Bank predicts that by 2050, water scarcity caused by climate change will cause economic losses equivalent to 6-14% of GDP in the MENA area. The long-term social and economic development of the area is seriously threatened by this shortage.

No matter how dire things look, there is always a silver lining to every cloud. This area relies on desalination so heavily that it is the world's biggest desalination market. Due to its high energy requirements, distillation produces a lot of greenhouse gas emissions. This adds to the problems of climate change and water scarcity that it exacerbates. It's also quite pricey, so it's not something that can be readily replicated in every country.

The Middle East and North Africa (MENA) area has a naturally high usage of AC due to the hot and humid environment. The resulting condensation can be gathered and reused for tasks as diverse as cleaning, irrigating plants, flushing toilets, and more; it is typically lost to the sewer system.

It's worth noting that AC vapor is produced naturally and costs nothing. Typically, this water is mineral- and disinfectant-free, as well as transparent and odorless. It's not suitable for drinking because of the dust and bacteria in it, but it can be used for a variety of uses after a quick treatment. The use of this grey water in cooling towers at commercial buildings, industrial facilities, and healthcare facilities, for example, presents a significant chance to lessen reliance on municipal water supplies.

It is estimated that between 50 and 80 percent of the wastewater produced in a normal household around the world is grey water. Just think of the massive cost savings that could be achieved if we began to gather and reuse this water. To put that in context, the average daily water consumption in Dubai is 550 liters, which is enough water to fill seven standard bathtubs. Grey water reuse could save as much as 30 percent of potable water, or about 385 liters, per day, per individual. This is equivalent to eliminating the need for more than two full bathtubs of water per day.

When 13 out of 22 Arab countries experience severe water scarcity, with less than 500 m3 water per inhabitant per year compared to the world average of 6,000 m3, it's time to aggressively investigate sustainable alternatives to our water requirements. It's a responsibility we have to the next generation. Something much more fundamental is at risk than the loss of a precious resource like water. Water scarcity is a major problem in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), contributing to a number of violent wars.

UAE adopting sustainable sewage disposal and treatment system

Wastewater management, disposal, and treatment are all handled by individual UAE towns. The UAE government is investing in improving and expanding sewer networks to keep up with the dramatic rise in sewage production due to the country's rapid population growth. Below, some of these initiatives by the government are listed-

Abu Dhabi

The Abu Dhabi Sewerage Services Company (ADSSC) is responsible for the collection and treatment of all sewage from homes and businesses in Abu Dhabi. With a budget of AED 5.7 billion (USD 1.6 billion), 'ADSCC' began constructing 41 kilometres of underground sewage pipelines in 2009.

All of the emirate's wastewater was to be treated and reused to irrigate fields and parks within four years, according to an ambitious environmental plan unveiled in 2014 and still in effect today.

Dubai

In the next five years, Dubai hopes to spend AED 12.5 billion on a new deep tunnel sewerage system to replace more than 121 sewerage pumping units. Sewage is collected using gravity in the new deep underground system.

The expansion of the Jebel Ali sewage treatment facility, estimated to cost AED 1.3 billion, has also been given the green light. When finished, the plant's capacity will increase from 305,000 to 675,000 cubic metres per day, allowing it to provide service to an additional 1,000,000 persons.

Sharjah

In addition to the Al Sajaa area's AED 227 million sewerage treatment plant, the Sharjah Municipality inaugurated an additional underground sewerage treatment plant in April 2012 to serve residential areas. The daily capacity of the main sewerage treatment plant in the fifth industrial region will be increased from 30,000 to 50,000.

Way Forward

To find long-term solutions to water scarcity in the Middle East, concerned foreign communities and water-related institutions should start and advocate a constructive political dialogue among the riparian states. Water scarcity in the area should be recognized as the most worrying security danger due to its profound destabilizing potential and domino effects if international cooperation and reconciliation are to begin in earnest. Transboundary water resource management agreements should serve as a foundation for multilateral initiatives, as they facilitate the negotiation of local political barriers and have the potential to pave the way for the adoption of an integrated framework to control water demand and supply in the long run.

While cooperation and negotiation may not be welcomed by all riparian states, the constructive involvement of foreign powers and institutions can balance the negotiating field in the basin, encourage hydro-hegemons to consider water as a public good and facilitate an effective transboundary water governance in the Middle East. Diplomatic efforts involving water are likely to grow in importance as riparian states adjust their national water strategies and administration. The international community and organizations, such as the European Union, can provide financial and technical support to increase cross-border collaboration to achieve this goal. They can act as a neutral party to mediate and facilitate talks between riparian nations, create and steer regional cooperation platforms, and keep tabs on treaty implementation.