WATER PAGES
Non-revenue water losses in the Middle East: challenges and solutions
All the countries in the Middle East suffer from groundwater depletion, with very high extraction rates. Water scarcity, rapid urban growth, geopolitical complexities and aging infrastructure compound efficient management of this resource
Potential solutions to improve the situation, acording to Idrica: Modernizing infrastructure, Upgrading metering systems, administrative and legal reforms and Digital transformation
Water is an essential resource, especially in arid and semi-arid parts of the world such as the Middle East. However, one of the most pressing issues this region has to deal with is non-revenue water (NRW). This phenomenon brings significant economic losses for water utilities and exacerbates the already precarious water situation in the region.
Non-revenue water refers to water that is produced and distributed but does not generate revenue for utilities because it is lost before it reaches the customer. This can be due to a number of reasons, including infrastructure leaks, illegal connections, metering errors and administrative failures. To be more specific, NRW is divided, according to Idrica, into three main categories:
• Real losses: physical losses in the system. These include leaks in pipes,
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tanks and fixtures.
• Apparent losses: non-physical leaks in the system. These are caused by metering errors, illegal connections, fraud and incorrect billing.
• Unbilled authorized consumption: water used by the water supply system itself for maintenance and other non-commercial purposes.
As the World Bank points out in its report "The Challenge of Reducing Non- Revenue Water in Developing Countries", this problem accounts for approximately 35% of the water produced worldwide. This huge figure has negative consequences in terms of natural resource economics, as well as service quality. However, if we look at data in the Middle East, the situation is even more worrying. According to statistics from the World Bank and other public agencies, countries such as Lebanon (48%), Jordan (50%), Iraq (60%), Palestine (40%) and Egypt (34%) have some of the world's highest rates of non-revenue water, which underscores the importance of urgently tackling this issue.
Challenges of NRW in the Middle East
Per capita water resources in the region are only one-sixth of the global average and are continuing to decline. All the
| October 2024 |
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countries in the Middle East suffer from groundwater depletion, with very high extraction rates in general, both from surface water and groundwater. This means that agriculture has to compete for water with industry and other sectors. In addition, the arid climate is changing, and droughts are becoming more frequent.
The Middle East faces unique challenges in terms of water management. According to Christian Perez, Senior Manager, Business Development - Digital, MET at Xylem, "Water scarcity, rapid urban growth, geopolitical complexities and aging infrastructure compound efficient management of this resource. These challenges are further intensified by economic and social impacts, making water security a pivotal concern in the region."
According to Idrica, the main causes of NRW in the region thus include:
• Obsolete infrastructure: many cities in the Middle East have piping and distribution systems that have not been upgraded in decades, leading to substantial leakage.
• Illegal connections: rapid urbanization and, in some cases, political instability has led to an increase in unauthorized connections.
• Metering deficiencies: poor metering
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