Draught in the Middle East

First, some statistics. Studies show that one unit of currency invested in a modern water system produces about ten units of currency worth of benefits to the overall economy of a country. On the other hand, studies of developing countries that lack these modern water systems generally demonstrate that the economic cost of not having such a system is around three to five percent of a nation’s entire GDP. The Middle East is home to around six percent of the world’s population, and that figure is projected to double over the next 40 years. The Middle East also holds a tiny one percent of the world’s available water supplies, with per capita water at 170 cubic metres a year, significantly beneath the 1,000 cubic metres per year water poverty line. Yemen is predicted to become the first country in the world to run out of water.

In the fiercely hot and densely populated desert landscapes of the MENA region, water quite literally is liquid gold. Everything from cooling systems to agriculture, to healthcare is subject to the availability of water; with a significant proportion of water being used in the region for irrigation, the food output from MENA countries is suffering as a consequence. As running out altogether becomes a very real possibility, there is no denying the fact that there needs to be a change in the way water is managed.

"Utilities around the world are learning that they need to manage both the supply of water and also the consumption of water," explains Glen Daigger, President of the International Water Association, highlighting that this is an international issue. And with the development boom and growing population that the wealthy emerging economies of the Gulf have seen in recent years, a comprehensive utilities infrastructure was a necessary consideration.  Jeanette Brown, in-coming President of the Water Environment Federation agrees. "Education [is needed] to reduce water use and wastage," she points out, highlighting a key underlying issue behind the water problems in the region.  

Of course, the notion of water conservation remains fairly immature in the Gulf region, and consequently knowing how best to approach the issue is a paramount concern. Both Daigger and Brown feel that there is something to be learnt from western attitudes to water management and conservation. "It is important to look at those regions in the US that have reduced water supply such as Arizona and southern California," explain Brown. "Both those areas have strong public education program on the use of water. They also promote water conservation including irrigation practices. Some communities have upgraded their treatment plants to allow water reuse for irrigation and sanitary facilities."

Daigger's attitude however is a little more measured. "If you look at the US and western European experience, what happened was that standards have improved over time as the infrastructure has been put in place... What are now fairly stringent standards have become something of a barrier to making progress. So if we had to do it again, in Western Europe and the US, I believe that we would be less prescriptive in terms of our standards. And we would look for a more continuous improvement process.

"To simply impose stringent standards is probably not the best approach. A more tiered approach and a more integrated and performance based approach would probably be more successful in the longer term and lead to better outcomes."

Cultural awareness

According to Daigger, for utility and water professionals looking to manage supply and consumption of water, three key areas of concern have been highlighted as necessary to combating the issue. First, he says, is assisting and advising consumers on their water use, such as suggesting the most efficient practices that could be used, or recommending products on the market that allow for a more efficient use of water. These might include fixtures such as low-flow taps or shower-heads that consume less water; appliances such as washing machines that are more efficient in terms of both water and electricity consumption. 

The second is to encourage consumers to use less water. "This can adversely affect their revenue," Daigger adds, pointing out one of the numerous challenges posed by the fight to improve water efficiency. "Pricing of water becomes very important, in terms of either having a progressive charge rate for water, or being very clear that as conservation is adopted, that water rates will have to go up, as the water utility companies still needs to have their costs covered."

The third consideration, he explains, is the issue of equity, making sure that the water conservation practices and tools recommended to manage water use are available to everyone. "That needs to be dealt with in terms of the pricing structure so that at least a minimum - and when I say minimum I don't necessarily mean a low amount, but a certain amount that is deemed to be the amount a person needs to live - is either very affordable or at some utilities, actually being provided for free."

While Brown's point about educating consumers as to how they can minimise their water consumption certainly rings true, this can still only go so far to improving the availability of water in a region as arid as the Middle East. With such a major imbalance in the supply-demand ratio, the level of water available needs to improve if the problem is to be tackled. "Treatment of the waste stream [is needed] to allow for that water to be reused directly," she explains, touching on an area that has seen significant growth in the MENA region. Indeed, today there is no shortage of water treatment facilities in the Gulf; recent reports indicate that the Gulf accounts for 41 percent of the world's desalinated water, and projects continue to pop up across the region to further this sector. As MENA Infrastructure went to press, a contract had just been announced for the development of the Ras Al Zour water desalination plant in Saudi Arabia, projected to be the world's biggest and cost an estimated US$5.5 billion, while a desalination plant in the Al Wusta region of Oman had received some US$2.6 million in government funds.

 Daigger reiterates the point. "Technologies for water treatment, water reuse in particular, are quite available and continue to improve," he says. Significantly, these treatments are capable of making water suitable to any standard, including drinking water. "Increasingly we're seeing the use of membrane systems because of their ability to remove particulate matter," he explains. "or in some instances, [we are seeing] even reverse osmosis technology, which is able to remove dissolved substances. The vast array of advanced oxidation technologies, which are able to remove dissolved organics very efficiently, coupled with biological treatment of water are some of the technologies that are allowing us to really produce water of any quality desired from any source water." As he talks about the various technologies available to treat water, Daigger touches on a point crucial to the development of a sustainable, long-term solution to the chronic thirst of the Middle Eastern landscape. "I try to be careful not to talk about wastewater, because we shouldn't be talking about wasting water. We ought to be talking about recovering water, and recovering energy and nutrients from the waste stream."

Fit for purpose

"The Australian's have a great phrase," laughs Daigger. "They talk about fit for purpose, that water should be supplied of a quantity and quality that matches the purpose, not necessarily treated to the highest level." His point resonates as one of the paramount solutions to the MENA water supply problem. For all the benefits that a water treatment system can bring, the energy costs involved in treating water to a drinkable standard can make this an expensive and unsustainable option. However, as Daigger points out, the average daily consumption of potable water - water used for drinking, or in food preparation - is in the region of 10 to 20 litres a day, however the total water consumption, even in more efficient and developed countries, is somewhere around 130-150 litres a day. "I go through the numbers just to illustrate that not every drop of water needs to be of drinking quality," he highlights. 

Indeed, this point paves the way for water treatment to be a widely utilised solution to the shortage in the region. To treat all water to the standard it would need to be in order to be consumed safely would incur significant, and largely unnecessary, costs. Brown points out the downsides. "There is significant capital and operating costs associated with treatment technologies that might not be appropriate for the region. The plants are also energy intensive."  With more and more utility and water professionals in the region, and the world over, calling for a specific approach to water treatment for, it would seem that solutions are beginning to be uncovered. Daigger points out that: "If we're treating every drop of water to the highest standard, and if we have poor quality water resources, then one can get into very expensive treatment. If we treat only water for potable uses to the highest standard, then the amount of energy that's needed is going to be reduced."  

As the issue of numbers is raised, it is only natural to look then to the economic effects of water treatment systems and wet infrastructure. And undoubtedly, the 10-to-one metric that Daigger laid down poses a very real argument for investing in water infrastructure. The energy expenditure involved, both in human and industrial terms, is neither economically viable nor sustainable; and the long-term health of the population is negatively affected by the lack of a comprehensive water management system. "People have to have water," adds Daigger. "You have to have water to live. People that don't have a modern system out a tremendous amount of energy either in their purchasing water at a much higher price than would be provided by a modern system, or in their time taken to walk kilometres to get water."

Ultimately he says, the problem lies in the management of water. "We have water shortages based on continuing to manage water in the way we have in the past. But it's clear that we have approaches in which we can manage water in a much more productive fashion."

Cities of the Future

The next generation in wet infrastructure master planning, the Cities of the Future initiative from the IWA is designed to bring new concepts in water management to the water utility professionals in an urban environment, and also to unite water professionals with the other planning, designing and engineering professionals responsible for an urban environment.

"The most efficient water infrastructure is infrastructure that is built into the city, so water professionals need to be at the table as city plans are developed and city policies are developed," explains Daigger.

Pioneering the Cities of the Future programme in the MENA region, Turkish cities Istanbul, Kayseri and Trabzon are implementing the initiatives ove rhte next three year. Experts from Turkish university collaborators, as well as water professionals from the IWA will collaborate to provide models, technologies and approaches that meet the highest global standards in urban water management. "Cities of the Future represents an acknowledgement by leaders in the water sector that the current, most predominantly used techniques for water supply, wastewater treatment and stormwater management do not reflect the growing realities of a changing global context. Human population growth, rising incmes and increased urbanization are colliding with resource limits and global warming to create an imperative for change in both the developing and developed regions.

Cities of the Future is about learning by doing. Turkish and international experts will combine the facts on the ground with emerging global best practice gleaned from leading edge projects from around the world

Quick facts

On average, each resident of Abu Dhabi consumes 550 litres of water ever day. The average resident of India consumes 25.

MENA region has 6% of the world's people, and 1% of the world's water.

In the UAE, a single litre of desalinated water costs 3.76 dirhams (US$1.02)