Professional Documents
Culture Documents
6 December 2009
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Introduction
The purpose of this report is to serve a founding document for the creation of, or the eventual
working in the Middle East with a non-profit organization focused on water conservation.
Though several other organizations already exist with similar mission statements this report was
initially created as a pilot action plan limited to the countries of Afghanistan, Egypt, Iran, Iraq,
Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Syria, and Yemen. The report
has since become more generalized in nature with an overall focus on the applicability and
feasibility of three main water conservation strategies that include: 1) Public awareness, 2) Grey
water and irrigation, and 3) Rain catching. To supplement country specific information and to
better prioritize the area of focus for the non-profit organization an appendix has been added
with country specific information and short assessments prioritizing conservation strategies. The
conservation strategies while taking into account financing, climate, and, to some extent, local
politics.
The Middle East and North Africa (MENA) is the most water deprived region in the world,
experiencing the highest variation of annual precipitation and a forecasted 60% percent increase
in population over the next sixteen years, reaching 500 million,1 the dynamic of the region make
its future unstable at best. Currently in the MENA the average person has access to 1,200m³ of
model setting each person annually needs one cubic meter of water for personal use (drinking), a
hundred cubic meters for other uses, and an additional thousand cubic meters for agricultural
1
(Water Resouce Management in MENA 2008)
2
(Water Resouce Management in MENA 2008)
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production.3 With exponential population growth the demand for water, especially in agriculture,
has exceeded the discharge rate of renewable water sources. Due to the scarcity of water and
limited access to fresh water the average annual withdrawal in the Middle East is 686m³
compared to 972m³ in the United States. It’s important to note that several factors in the MENA
skew the interpretation of data to include faulty data collection, regional disputes over water
Limited water supply throughout the region can mostly be attributed to the overwhelming
demand from agricultural irrigation, but can also be a result of local politics that affect the use
and distribution of fresh water. For example, in most countries farmers are required to pay a flat
rate on water rights to irrigate their fields, but the rights do not place restrictions on how much
water can be used nor charge the farmer extra for excessive withdrawal leading to over irrigation
water in the MENA frequently reaches more than $1 per m³. Put into perspective if the average
income in the United States is $50K and the Middle East is $9K, Americans are paying roughly
1% of their income to water and sewage while in the Middle East a person is spending more than
7% of their income.
3
(Allan 1998)
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If any initiative is to take place on alleviating water scarcity in the Middle East it must be
done through Public Awareness. It’s impossible to over emphasize how important awareness in
the United States and the targeted region is. Water conservation systems are no more than tools,
but if those who posses such systems do not know how to operate and manage the tools given or
do not understand the importance of water conservation, then the tools given will ultimately
Public Awareness
The most critical aspect to the success of a non-profit organization is the promotion and
education of the organization’s mission to both the people of the affected region and citizens
outside the area. Public awareness is most effectively carried out through education and the use
of religious context is especially important in the MENA. In the United States public awareness
is vital as the country in many respects is isolated from the rest of the world and simple
humanitarian relief efforts seldom make the news or the public’s attention. It is therefore vital
that in order to receive support from the community they must be made aware of the situation.
water conservation topics such as types of soil compositions, irrigation methods and
maintenance, the water cycle, rain catching, and wastewater recycling empower individuals to
implement conservation techniques themselves. A pilot program initiated by the United States
Geological Survey (USGS) created the Multilateral Working Group on Water Resources
(MWGWR). Based in Israel, the MWGWR has developed a vital textbook titled WaterCare. The
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textbook, available in English, Hebrew, or Arabic online, provides basic information about
where water comes from and how it is regenerated, reasons for water scarcity in the MENA
region, and proper methods of consumption. For the purpose of this report WaterCare will serve
as a primary tool to be used by our no-profit organization as a model for the future development
With the dominance of Islam in the MENA region, being able to express the importance of
water conservation techniques through religion is vital in the public awareness process and
persuading people to take it to heart. Several non-profit organizations in the region have already
benefited from the use of religion to promote awareness. Techniques have included the use of
Quranic and Hadith verses in connection to water conservation on posters, leaflets, booklets, and
stickers. Another simple technique has been to choose a name for the non-profit organization that
can be associated with Islam. One example of this comes from an water conservation
organization based in Palestine named Zam Zam after a famous water spring in Mecca, “where
Hagar and Ishmael quenched their thirst after wandering in the desert.”5 Other more influential
techniques include holding educational seminars for Imams and Mullahs to teach and allow
spiritual leaders to preach and educate the community at gathering, most notably the Kutbah
(Friday prayer). Examples of these seminars can be found in Afghanistan, Jordan, Palestine, and
In the United States it is critical to ensure that the public is knowledgeable about water issues
facing the Middle East. To confront this problem in advance, a model survey has been drafted
and will serve the primary role of assessing community awareness of water related issues and the
4
(WaterCare 2004)
5
(Gilli n.d.)
6
(Gilli n.d.)
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level of financial support that could plausibly be received. Critical limitations exist in that the
or localized survey of America citizens support before the geographic location of the
‘headquarters’ has been established. Based on responses fundraising seminars and marketing
strategies can be carried out to target communities with the most support and educate
□Yes □No Would you be interested in supporting a non-profit organization that focuses on
water conservation in the Middle East? If Yes, what ways would you like to help
or what ideas do you have for our organization?
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When it comes to irrigation in the Middle East no other nation has set the bar higher than
Israel and its harnessing of drip irrigation. Managed and enhanced by sensors and computers,
irrigation has become so efficient that the average water withdrawal is 189m³/p/yr contrasted
with the average of other countries in the region at 648m³/p/yr. There are of course several
factors that need to be equated into these findings, such as climate variability since Israel enjoys
a relatively milder climate, and the amount of produce that Israel imports. Nevertheless, the
climate and geography of the Middle East puts an enormous strain on agricultural production and
all MENA nations are faced with overcoming these clear limitations.
Implementing more efficient irrigation techniques is a challenge not only to the farmers, but
also to the civilian populous as a whole. It is not feasable to expect every country to have the
ability to install high tech irrigation systems similar to Israel and it would be equally ineffective
for a micro non-profit organization to invest in such systems when more influential changes can
be made with the people themselves. Therefore, a critical aspect to this is to educate farmers on
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appropriate irrigation techniques, but there is also a significant impact to be made from domestic
There are two kinds of wastewater generated domestically and they are commonly referred to
as ‘grey’ and ‘black’ water. Grey water classifies the waste water that comes from sinks,
dishwashers, laundry machines, and baths/showers. Black water, also known as sewage, is
comprised of wastewater from toilets and garbage disposals that carry a high amount of waste.
Black water cannot be effectively treated domestically, but grey water can be treated to a near
potable level. Recycled grey water may not be good enough for drinking but does hold several
Grey water recycling is not a new concept in the Middle East. Organizations like the Inter
International (Jordan), The Middle East Center for the Transfer of Appropriate Technologies
(Lebanon), and The Palestinian Agricultural Relief Committee (Palestine) have been primarily
working on grey water issues such as sanitation for years.8 Even in the United States there has
been an increased push for installing grey water treatment systems in homes for less than $350.
this report we use as an example the methods Figure 2 Anaerobic to aerobic pre-treatment www.water-
well.net
7
(WaterFiltering.com 2009)
8
(Centre n.d.)
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of Aerobic Pre-Treatment and Anaerobic to Aerobic Pre-Treatment (Figure 2). Deciding between
the two methods can be a critical part of the recycling process as Aerobic Pre-Treatment may
only be suitable for wastewater from showers, hand washing and laundry, and Anaerobic to
Aerobic Pre-Treatment is more appropriate for wastewater from kitchen sinks and dishwashers
where water has a high food residue. Both Pre-Treatment methods rely on separating out the
larger particles and letting bacteria naturally breakdown the wastewater. In the Aerobic Pre-
Treatment system, larger particles are simply separated out. In the to Aerobic Pre-Treatment
systems, the grey water passes through a staged septic tank that separates and breaks down the
particles before it flows through a slow sand filter. This only works, though, if the consumer
refrains from using bleach and detergents that destroy the bacteria needed.
Once pre-treated the water can either go through a slow sand filter to become nearly potable
water for use in washing or producing edible food, or the water can be used directly for
landscaping purposes. The slow sand filter works off the principle of harvesting bacteria and
microbes within the sand of a cylinder that the water naturally seeps through. In respect to grey
water the byproduct is near potable, but the use of rainwater or freshwater sources can result in
Ideally grey water recycling systems would serve to alleviate strains on municipal
wastewater management and increase the water available for irrigation while also increasing the
fresh water availability for drinking purposes. Take for example the water situation in
Afghanistan; irrigation consumes 98% of the fresh water withdrawal leaving domestic use at
1.5% or 14m³/p/yr.9 Putting aside the obvious complication of rerouting the plumbing of an
entire community to supply agricultural production, installment of grey water systems, assuming
9
(Gleick 2009)
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that they can recycle 50-80% of a households water, could increase the domestic consumption to
21-25m³/p/yr and alleviate freshwater consumption by local irrigation (see appendix for further
information). This first requires that farmers are educated on the importance of proper water use
Irrigation management not only involves educating farmers on basic practices to optimize
produce growth and promote general conservation awareness, but also how to take care of their
irrigation systems. The model for which this paper is based on will provide basic maintenance to
irrigation systems in order to help promote awareness and self-sufficiency. Awareness is key, as
a study conducted in the early 1990’s concluded that after educating and training farmers in
Egypt on basic farm management skills that irrigation efficiency could improve by as much as
management of irrigation systems in the Middle East frequently amounts to at least 60% of the
water withdrawn to be wasted before reaching crops.11 The main reasons for this holds true for
any irrigation system and includes water seeping out of unlined irrigation canals, evaporation
(while applied through high pressure sprinkler systems, in canals, or in the soil), and improper
irrigation scheduling (most efficient irrigation is typically done during the coolest part of the day
to prevent evaporation).12 Therefore education and training should consist of leak detection,
installment of lining materials, low pressure irrigation systems, and proper irrigation scheduling
spend by the hectare (ha) and according to the size of the irrigation system. For large scale
10
(Xie, Kuffner and Le Moigne 1993)
11
(Rached, Rathgeber and Brooks 1996, 59)
12
(Muir 2008)
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irrigation systems providing produce on a regional level new irrigation systems have been quoted
at $10-20K/ha while repairing existing systems is forecasted at $1.5-2K/ha. For small scale
irrigation systems providing produce on a local level the implementing of a new system is at $.5-
The Middle East claims the highest varying degree of precipitation in the world making any
rainfall vital to the well-being of the region. Such little rainfall may be the reason why it makes
up such a small percentage of the freshwater utilized, but to the same extent rain catching in
itself is not commonly practiced in the region. In the most arid regions, a 15ft² area can catch
enough rain water for a small family to use for drinking over the course of an entire year.
Catchment of rain water can be approached in two different ways, either with a catchment
system (i.e. gutter or a tarp) or through rechanneling runoff into a pool or a similar collection
area. For the purpose of this report, both methods are rudimentary in practice but in order for the
water to be properly treated it needs to be reasonably clean without a lot of dirt or soil
In the process of developing this report it became clear that the utilization of a catchment
system would provide its own challenges. In the United States catching rainwater has been
simplified by the fact that most buildings have evenly sloped roofs and gutter systems that can
effectively channel rainwater into a filtration system capable of making the water potable. In the
13
(Rached, Rathgeber and Brooks 1996, 61)
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Middle East, buildings have flat roofs, often uncompleted, and incorporate no real gutter system.
The Project
had entered the pipe it would first enter a five gallon container that would separate the dust and
particles caught in the runoff. The water would then flow into a slow sand filter to be
biologically filtered. Once it had passed through the filter it would then be stored in cisterns until
used.
Construction of the project was incredibly promising. The catchment area was constructed in
trash can retrofitted with an entry and exit for a 1/2” pipe. Once the pipe for the filtered water
had been installed in the base of the filter it was layered first with 5” of gravel, then 10” of
coarse sand, and finally 15” of fine sand (play sand). Complete
ete construction of the filter with the
25ft of ½” piping took less than half a day and cost around $20 making the entire system
extremely affordable.
Once constructed the system performed as intended and the slow sand filter discharged
design
sign flaws such as the tarp being a poor
properly. Future designs will incorporate Figure 4 Completed rain catcher with slow sand filter.
either sloped plastic or metal platforms that can resist wind and snow buildup while channeling
microbes to harvest before it can effectively filter water, so there was no way of determining
Filtration Systems
While the filtration of water methods was created to those that could be practiced
racticed by the most
remote villages without electricity or gas, the two methods selected from this are solar
distillation and, as previously mentioned, slow sand filtration. Both are slow in their filtration
process, but if harnessed correctly can provide another source of daily drinking water for a
Solar filtration is especially ideal in the Middle East due to the heat and intense sunshine
received. Two primary ways to utilize solar filtration are either through a solar box (see Figure 5)
to direct sunlight into the box. Filtration occurs in the box Figure 5 Solar Box. Courtesy of:
www.sunspot.org
more expensive than $4.14 A solar still on the other hand Figure 6 Solar Still. Courtesy of:
www.thefoodguys.com
has the same dimensions as a dining room table, usually 3ft wide by 6ft long and works off the
principle of evaporating water and capturing the condensation. Solar stills of the mentioned
dimension can filter 3 gallons a day in the summer, but cost $200-$300.15 However, the benefits
of a solar still compared to a solar box are that because the siphoned water has been evaporated it
has been treated on a molecular level, leaving behind any harmful chemicals whereas the solar
box is only effective at killing some bacteria. Another benefit to the solar still is its ability to
treat brackish water (water that posses’ a degree of salinity less than sea water, but can be used to
Slow sand filtration is, in many ways, the method of choice for rural processing of
potable water, but like the solar box it cannot treat chemically tainted water. Some designs have
incorporated a layer of charcoal to help with the filtration of chemicals, but if not monitored
14
(Rolla 1998)
15
(Rolla 1998)
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closely the charcoal can become a breeding ground for harmful bacteria. Slow sand filtration
uses gravitational force to let the water naturally seep through the various layers of sand in the
filter in order to allow the microbes living in the sand to attack any harmful bacteria in the water.
from river beds can be used for the filter with the
sand that the water has to pass through. Water from Figure 7 Slow Sand Filter. Type used in the rain
catching project. Courtesy of: www.slowsandfilter.org
contamination prior to filtration, but otherwise, in contrast with solar filtration, slow sand filters
can operate at all hours with a discharge rate of around 19 gallons per 24-hour day and result in a
total cost of around $20. Periodic maintenance is required as the top layer of sand becomes slimy
Conclusion
This report was initially created to offer a new approach towards water conservation in
the Middle East; however, without a firm foundation or subject matter expert in water
conservation the report inevitably reverted to the standard practices being utilized by other non-
profit organization. Several countries in the MENA posses’ high tech irrigation and waste water
recycling systems for use locally that could be introduced on a much larger scale in the region;
however, for the purposes of an action plan for a tentative non-profit organization it seems more
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appropriate to introduce techniques and systems that are within the means of the targeted people.
Instead of attempting to implement a $10K high tech waste treatment system that would require
trained professionals to fix and maintain, it was more prudent to focus on “Appropriate
Therefore, the report has identified key conservation systems and public awareness
options that can be used when incorporated into the development of a non-profit organization.
Awareness strategies have been identified either with reference to MWGWR WaterCare
textbook or with educating through religious leaders, grey water recycling and irrigation
management systems have been identified to help alleviate the strain on fresh water withdrawal
from irrigation, and rain water catching and filtering processes have been developed to
dramatically increase a household’s access to fresh water. The basic systems researched also
ensured that water conservation is economically feasible and that many projects would not
Water conservation in the Middle East will remain a vital subject for the next century
with the unknown question of how regional governments are going to react to a growing demand
for more water while the climate becomes less favorable. Optimists may argue that the Middle
East has avoided conflict due to supplementing their grim supply by using “virtual water,” or
water that is embodied in food imports such as wheat, fruits, and meats which can amount to a
significant portion of water consumption. Skeptics would argue that water consumption gained
by “virtual water” is negligible; having no direct effect on the overall issue of withdrawing water
faster than it can naturally be renewed. Many Middle East and North Africa countries still only
charge farmers an annual flat rate on water and do not charge extra for over withdrawal, putting
Several limitations were reached in this report most of which dealt directly with the local
government if any large-scale changes are to be made. One case of this is in rerouting the
plumbing of an entire community to benefit irrigation that would require the involvement of the
conservation strategies and techniques could function and affect change on a small scale by
working on its own, but with the support of the local government its abilities would increase
exponentially and could more effectively alleviate the strain on fresh water resources.
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regions that need to be focused on according to several different variables. For example, grey
water and rain catching systems can be implemented in countries where urban and rural access
to fresh water is low, and/or domestic use is critically low, and/or where average precipitation
is conducive to effective rain catching (100mm annually, with the use of a 15ft² catchment area
can yield 561 gallons, enough for two people to drink 3 liters a day).16 Determination of placing
an emphasis on improved irrigation techniques is made on the bases of how reliant the country
is on water withdrawal for irrigation use, and/or the strain on total renewable water, and/or
the annual rate of population growth. Precipitation maps of the Precipitation Change 1951-
2002 (%/yr) and the AVG Annual Precip 1951-2002 (mm) have been included for general
All information should be used as general guideline, since the methods of reporting
data vary significantly between countries. Therefore, any determination made by the recorded
16
(Water 2009)
Appendix A: Country Specific Information Page 19 of 24
Appendix A: Country Specific Information Page 20 of 24
Appendix A: Country Specific Information Page 21 of 24
Appendix A: Country Specific Information Page 22 of 24
Notes:
1) Assessments made by the authors’ interpretation of the data available and researched conservation techniques.
2) Data for Agricultural Use, Domestic Use, and Total Use was obtained from Gleick, Peter. The World's Water. Washington: Islandpress, 2009.
3) Date for Total Renewable Water and Average Precipitation was obtained from AQUASTAT online database. Organization, Food and
4) Data for Annual Rate of Population Growth was obtained from the Human Development Report (HDR). United Nations Development
5) Data charts for Precipitation Change 1951-2002 (%/yr) and AVG Annual Precip 1951-2002 (mm) were obtained from Climate Wizard. Santa
Bibliography
Allan, Tony. "Watersheds and Problemsheds: Explaining the Absence of Armed Conflict Over
Water in the Middle East." Middle East Review of International Affairs 2, no. 1 (March
1998).
December 5, 2009).
Gilli, Francesca. Islam Water Conservation and Public Awareness Campaigns. Venice:
Rached, Eglal, Eva Rathgeber, and David B. Brooks. Water Managment in Africa and the
Rolla, Trudy C. "Sun and water: an overview of solar water treatment devices." Journal of
Xie, M., U. Kuffner, and G. Le Moigne. Using Water Efficiently. World Bank Technical Paper,
Notes:
1) Assessments made by the authors’ interpretation of the data available and researched conservation techniques.
2) Data for Agricultural Use, Domestic Use, and Total Use was obtained from Gleick, Peter. The World's Water. Washington: Islandpress, 2009.
3) Date for Total Renewable Water and Average Precipitation was obtained from AQUASTAT online database. Organization, Food and
4) Data for Annual Rate of Population Growth was obtained from the Human Development Report (HDR). United Nations Development
5) Data charts for Precipitation Change 1951-2002 (%/yr) and AVG Annual Precip 1951-2002 (mm) were obtained from Climate Wizard. Santa
Bibliography
Allan, Tony. "Watersheds and Problemsheds: Explaining the Absence of Armed Conflict Over
Water in the Middle East." Middle East Review of International Affairs 2, no. 1 (March
1998).
December 5, 2009).
Gilli, Francesca. Islam Water Conservation and Public Awareness Campaigns. Venice:
Rached, Eglal, Eva Rathgeber, and David B. Brooks. Water Managment in Africa and the
Rolla, Trudy C. "Sun and water: an overview of solar water treatment devices." Journal of
Xie, M., U. Kuffner, and G. Le Moigne. Using Water Efficiently. World Bank Technical Paper,