e-ReWater MENA

The Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region is one of the most water-scarce regions of the world. Growing populations and the increasing impacts of climate change continue to exacerbate water scarcity. Recycled water presents a vital solution for tackling these challenges and promoting sustainable water management in the region. However, it is estimated that MENA loses at least 54% of its nutrient-rich wastewater, representing a significant missed opportunity for resource recovery and reuse.

The project aims to develop a decision-support tool powered by artificial intelligence (AI), earth observation, and data analytics. The tool is expected to generate spatially explicit, high-resolution data on wastewater availability and sectoral water demand, evaluate reuse potential and help authorities in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Saudi Arabia and Egypt enhance water security through water reuse. The results will be summarized into a water reuse dashboard that will provide indicators tailored to support the decisions of investors, entrepreneurs, and policymakers.

This tool builds on existing early-stage developments for the regional assessment of wastewater generation and fate in MENA and for the assessment of the water reuse potential in Lebanon. It is expected to address gaps in existing developments that rely on traditional data collection methods by using AI and machine learning to fill knowledge gaps.