Sustain Water MED - Pilot projects for sustainable water reuse in the MENA Region

The Region of the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) is one of the most arid regions of the world and climate change is expected to further complicate this situation. Integrated approaches to treatment and reuse of effluents help achieve efficient utilization and avoid further deterioration of existing water resources. The Sustain Water MED project aimed to promote sustainable and integrated approaches to wastewater treatment and reuse in the Region through a set of demonstration activities. Pilot activities were carried out in Egypt, Jordan, Morocco, and Tunisia to demonstrate the potentials and solutions for water reuse at different stages of the treatment cycle, especially for the reuse of treated domestic wastewater for irrigation. All pilot activities were accompanied by thorough assessments of the social, economic, and environmental effects of water reuse.

The Sustain Water MED partners planned and implemented the pilot activities together with relevant stakeholders. Regional knowledge exchange and local capacity development further enhanced related technical, planning and management capacities in the region. This was complemented by awareness raising interventions targeting local stakeholders, the general public and decision makers to promote an enabling environment for the sustainable reuse of treated waters.

adelphi presented the lessons learnt and recommendations from the Sustain Water MED project in a compendium of good practices, country-specific policy briefs, and a regional conference.