However, this somewhat bleak outlook is also responsible for prompting a significant shift in strategic thinking across the region, as governments and leading private enterprises look for ways to tackle the problem. Water supply conservation and management has become a central pillar in the region’s drive towards environmental and economic sustainability – a top priority featured in the “national vision” strategies of almost every GCC member. From embracing new and emerging technologies to initiating water saving programmes, the fight to secure sufficient water is inspiring fresh ideas and innovations.
For example, in the UAE, work continues on a wide variety of water saving measures, including: the introduction of water consumption indicators for Emirati nationals; a rebalancing of water tariffs and subsides; the construction of more than 1,300 groundwater monitoring stations in Abu Dhabi alone; and the expansion of solar-powered desalination plants capable of producing fresh water from saline groundwater.[3] Further innovations are also on the horizon, as the Federal Electricity and Water Authority (FEWA) is currently testing a new technology that uses algae to absorb salt from water.[4] Should this approach prove effective, the UAE will be the first country in the world to implement it. This is emblematic of the UAE’s heightened awareness that fully addressing its water shortage issues will require radical thinking paired with the significant investment of available resources.
Looking towards more regional trends, The World Bank concluded in a 2017 report that 82% of MENA’s wastewater is not recycled, which leaves open a huge opportunity to combat water shortages.[5] While the UAE continues to strive for 100% wastewater usage through initiatives like the nearly completed Abu Dhabi’s Strategic Tunnel Enhancement Programme (STEP), it’s also a high priority for countries like Jordan, where the government recently began a fresh round of financing for wastewater recycling while encouraging stronger links with private sector innovators.
Saudi Arabia, the largest producer of desalinated water in the world, has demonstrated similar vigour in its recent efforts to adopt a more sustainable water supply solution, by harnessing renewable energy options to power its desalination plants. Its soon-to-be-completed $130 million Al Khafji facility will be the largest desalination plant in the world, producing 60,000 cubic metres of water per day utilising clean photovoltaic (PV) energy.[6]
