How is wastewater recycled in Dubai?
Answers
While 5% of the world’s population resides in the Middle East and North Africa, the region has less than 1% of available potable or pure water. This startling statistic demonstrates the major threat that water scarcity poses to the economic growth prospects of the region.
Factors such as rapid economic and industrial development, urbanisation, population growth, increased water withdrawals for irrigation, municipal uses, and energy production, along with the proliferation of energy-intensive lifestyles, are placing an unprecedented strain on the Middle East’s limited water resources.
Due to their desert geography, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and Yemen have low levels of renewable water resources, such as flowing rivers, and must rely on groundwater and desalination for most of their supply.In addition these countries are using more water than they should, drivingthe need for new desalination and water treatment plants.
Using reclaimed water for non-potable uses saves potable water for drinking. Recycled water can also be used to replenish sensitive ecosystems where wildlife, fish and plants are left vulnerable when water is diverted for urban or rural needs and use of recycled water can prevent pollution of sensitive environments and reduce the chances of drought.
Waste water reuse is becoming increasingly understood in the Middle East and many countries are now looking to ways of improving and expanding wastewater the practice. These issues have spurred the growth of the desalination and wastewater sectors and have resulted in large investments by the Government and foreign privatecompanies to meet demand.