ReWater+

The Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region faces severe water stress, driven by rapid population growth, urbanization, agricultural expansion and shifting consumption patterns, which could increase water demand by 50% by 2050. At the same time, renewable freshwater is extremely limited. This scarcity threatens food security, urban water supplies and ecosystems. IWMI believes wastewater reuse as a critical solution to address these challenges and ensure sustainable water management in the region.

Under this project, IWMI and its partners are implementing a regional initiative under the Near East and North Africa Water Scarcity Initiative (WSI), coordinated by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).

Building on the evidence, knowledge, and networks developed through IWMI’s ReWaterMENA Project (2018–2022), the current project addresses severe water scarcity and declining water quality across the region. While covering all 22 League of Arab States in the region, the project includes targeted activities in Egypt, Jordan, and Morocco. 

The project will strengthen stakeholders’ awareness and capacity to promote reuse of water to help alleviate water scarcity in the region by:

• Conducting a regional assessment on water reuse to evaluate the current and future potential for recovering water, energy, and nutrients from wastewater.
• Capacity building of young entrepreneurs and policy makers focused on business models for water reuse within a circular economy.
• Implementing media campaigns developed and implemented through a coalition with national and regional media to improve public perceptions and acceptance of wastewater reuse