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MENA WATER MARKET
GCC countries are facing an increase in the demand for water, mostly from municipal and industrial users. Their main challenge is to reduce dependence on groundwater, which they are seeking to do by constructing new desalination capacities and developing wastewater reuse projects. Saudi Arabia took a “milestone” step towards overhauling its wasteful, state-owned water sector and preparing it for complete privatization within a decade. By the year 2024, demand for potable water is expected to reach 10 millions m3/d, of which 66% to be met by desalinated water (6 millions m3/d in 2003). In Qatar, there are plans to extend one of Doha’s main WwTPs on a DBO basis. Measures are in place to improve Bahrain’s and Kuwait’s wastewater coverage. Oman is expecting demand for water to fall by 2015 as a result of reduced agricultural consumption. The big success story in the Gulf is Abu Dhabi’s IWPP program which has enabled the emirate to successfully finance new desalination capacity. More projects are planned in UAE. North Africa countries will need to develop new sources of supply to meet a projected 50% high increase in the demand for water by 2015. Tenders for running water networks in large cities in Algeria are to be issued at the beginning of 2006. There are plans to build nearly 1 million m3/d of desalination capacity to supplement Libya’s Great Manmade River (GMR) supplies. Only 40% of Morocco’s wastewater capacity is currently functioning. However, Morocco has initiated sector reforms and has successfully delegated the management of water and wastewater service to private companies. For Tunisia, the main challenge will be treating increasingly saline raw water and improving wastewater coverage in rural areas. Water management in Egypt has to be improved in order to save water. Jordan has to develop brackish water desalination projects. The country is creating a digital national water master plan and establishing a water information system. Lebanon has substantial water potential but has not mobilized its resources effectively. New projects are either underway or in the planning stage that will alleviate water shortages in the country. The Palestinian Territories face the triple dilemma of rising water demand, poor wastewater coverage and a weak institutional framework. The security situation is a pressing concern. Syria is contemplating water transfer projects but a better course of action would be to improve management of existing resources. Iraq has a plentiful supply of surface water but inadequate capacity for treating and distributing it. An anticipated 11.8 million Iraqis will benefit from water and sanitation projects worth $600 million. Compared with other countries in the region, Turkey has plentiful water resources. Service levels are generally good although wastewater treatment in certain parts of the country is lacking. Current sector arrangements are in need of reform. Iran’s main challenge is to raise the amount of controlled surface water to 116 billion cu. m. by the year 2025. According to a new market report, about US$80 billion will need to be spent on improving and expanding potable water services, including desalination plants, pipelines and renovating leaking distribution mains, while the figure for drainage and sewerage is approximately US$40 billion. |
