Middle East Invests in Water Technologies and Infrastructure

The Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region is naturally hot and dry, starkly contrasting with other parts of the world. The region’s arid climate is the main factor in water scarcity.

Coupled with limited freshwater supplies and a growing water demand, countries in the Middle East face heightened levels of water stress. Climate change is expected to impact freshwater availability long-term and threaten water security.

While the Middle East is oil-rich and produces significant wealth, particularly in the Gulf countries, climate change and water scarcity make life harsh for poor and rural dwellers. Countries including Yemen, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, and Iraq face unique water problems requiring immediate, global attention.

For example, in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), freshwater use, which highly depends on fossil groundwater resources, has increased rapidly due to population growth and GDP growth. Increased irrigation in desert regions has led to rising fossil groundwater withdrawal for irrigation since the 1960s. Water stress or scarcity threatens sustainable development in this arid region.

As noted by the Water Project, countries in the region have implemented various water conservation measures. These efforts include promoting water-efficient technologies and reducing water loss within their systems. Additionally, investments are being made in alternative water sources, such as desalination plants, water recycling, reuse, and rainwater harvesting.

Some nations are employing cloud-seeding technology to increase local precipitation. However, political and economic constraints may hinder the implementation of these solutions in certain countries. Another critical approach is to promote transboundary water management and diplomacy, which can enhance water security for future generations since many water resources are shared among neighbouring countries.

The good news is that significant investments in innovative technologies and climate-resilient infrastructure are growing to foster water security across the Middle East region. The Middle East Water Tech Brief features these investments in desalination, wastewater reuse, flood protection, and decentralised purification systems, each aligned with national development goals like Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 and the UAE’s Net Zero 2050.

Key developments include:

Saudi Arabia invests $533 million in Riyadh Water and Sewerage Infrastructure to improve water and sewerage infrastructure. The project is critical for sustainable urban development and aligns with Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 goals.

In Oman, the country inaugurated the RO 45.6 million Wadi Al Jifnain Dam in Seeb to enhance flood protection for residential and commercial areas. The dam uses advanced monitoring technologies to strengthen flood resilience while preserving ecological corridors, supporting Oman’s integrated water management strategy.

The UAE is providing Cyprus with portable desalination units free of charge to address emergency water shortages following a major plant outage. The units, which produce up to 15,000 cubic metres daily, will strengthen Cyprus’ water resilience during peak demand periods.

Innovative water technologies implemented in the region

Saudi Arabia is investing in capacitive deionisation (CDI) for water purification, a new technology used to remove dissolved ions from feedwater by trapping them in charged electrical double layers (EDL) within carbon micropores.

The main applications for CDI include energy-efficient brackish water desalination and water softening. This process uses an electrical charge to remove contaminants from water without membranes or chemicals, reducing energy use and waste (Rabiee et al., 2018).

Stockholm Water Technology and DRC-ChemTec are deploying 1,750 low-energy water purification systems over four years, supporting decentralised, sustainable groundwater desalination.

Abu Dhabi is testing the WaHa Vaporator to extract potable water from air humidity. The test shows 100% uptime and 99.9% reliability, and the company plans to expand deployment across the UAE and the broader Middle East.

Other infrastructure water investments to strengthen water security in the region include Egypt’s $332 million agriculture and irrigation expansion plan, Kuwait’s rollout of 125,000 smart water metres, Saudi Arabia’s $1.61b expansion of water and sanitation networks, and UAE’s $22B Dubai Strategic Sewerage Tunnels Project under 25–35-year PPP contracts.

Countries in the Middle East face intensifying water challenges driven by rising demands and the escalating effects of climate change.

It is also clear that the region demonstrates an investment momentum towards climate adaptation and resilience through innovative water technologies and large-scale infrastructure to address water scarcity and ensure sustainable freshwater supplies for generations to come.

For these efforts to succeed, robust policies, cross-border collaboration, and fair implementation must ensure that low-income and rural communities are not overlooked.