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As freshwater resources dwindle globally, treated wastewater reuse stands as the most viable solution to secure water, especially in the MENA region. The MENA region faces severe water scarcity, with agriculture consuming up to 80% of total water use, primarily for food and crop production. This highlights a significant opportunity to manage growing water demand by promoting water reuse in agriculture. The use of treated wastewater for irrigation provides a sustainable and promising solution to bridge the gap between water demand and limited available resources, while also mitigating water scarcity in the region. However, the rising costs of wastewater treatment, driven by rapid population growth and increasing energy prices, present a significant challenge, particularly for most of middle to low-income countries in the MENA region. These escalating costs are becoming a critical factor in determining the feasibility of water reuse projects. To ensure the viability of water reuse, it is essential to develop cost-effective treatment technologies that reduce energy consumption while ensuring the safety and quality of reused water. Innovations in treatment technology such as trickling filter, combined with policy development, have the potential to lower costs and improve the sustainability of water reuse applications providing a long-term solution to water scarcity problem in MENA. This chapter emphasizes the need for effective water policies and affordable treatment technologies to ensure sustainable water management in the MENA region. It highlights the potential of energy saving, the reuse of treated wastewater, and the importance of developing a strong framework for wastewater management. Case studies will be used to showcase cost-effective technologies and current water reuse practices, focusing on trickling filter technology. For instance, the activated sludge process requires around 0.66 kWh to remove kg of biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), whereas the trickling filter system consumes only 0.21 kWh per kg of BOD removal (0.12 kW/m3). Compared to other methods, trickling filters offer more cost-effective and sustainable solutions, particularly in regions that experience severe water scarcity, high energy costs and limited financial resources.

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Circular Economy Approaches for Energy-Efficient Wastewater Treatment and Reuse-MENA Region

  • 章节

  • 发表日期：

    2026年

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  • Noama Shareef,
  • Hanine Suleiman

摘要

As freshwater resources dwindle globally, treated wastewater reuse stands as the most viable solution to secure water, especially in the MENA region. The MENA region faces severe water scarcity, with agriculture consuming up to 80% of total water use, primarily for food and crop production. This highlights a significant opportunity to manage growing water demand by promoting water reuse in agriculture. The use of treated wastewater for irrigation provides a sustainable and promising solution to bridge the gap between water demand and limited available resources, while also mitigating water scarcity in the region. However, the rising costs of wastewater treatment, driven by rapid population growth and increasing energy prices, present a significant challenge, particularly for most of middle to low-income countries in the MENA region. These escalating costs are becoming a critical factor in determining the feasibility of water reuse projects. To ensure the viability of water reuse, it is essential to develop cost-effective treatment technologies that reduce energy consumption while ensuring the safety and quality of reused water. Innovations in treatment technology such as trickling filter, combined with policy development, have the potential to lower costs and improve the sustainability of water reuse applications providing a long-term solution to water scarcity problem in MENA. This chapter emphasizes the need for effective water policies and affordable treatment technologies to ensure sustainable water management in the MENA region. It highlights the potential of energy saving, the reuse of treated wastewater, and the importance of developing a strong framework for wastewater management. Case studies will be used to showcase cost-effective technologies and current water reuse practices, focusing on trickling filter technology. For instance, the activated sludge process requires around 0.66 kWh to remove kg of biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), whereas the trickling filter system consumes only 0.21 kWh per kg of BOD removal (0.12 kW/m3). Compared to other methods, trickling filters offer more cost-effective and sustainable solutions, particularly in regions that experience severe water scarcity, high energy costs and limited financial resources.