Given the persistent water stress across the region, water recycling is emerging as a vital strategy. The Middle East's success shows how wastewater can be transformed from a liability into a valuable resource.
In a region where every drop counts, the Middle East is at a pivotal moment in reimagining how water is sourced, managed and reused. With the population increasing, rapid urbanization and climate change, countries across the region are being forced to confront a stark reality: traditional water supply models — heavily reliant on overdrawn aquifers and energy-intensive desalination — are no longer sustainable. While desalination has played a critical role in satisfying water demand in the region over a long period of time, it remains energy-intensive, costly and could pose significant environmental threats (in the long run) due to the large volumes of concentrated brine discharged into vulnerable marine ecosystems. As a result, there is a growing urgency to diversify water sources in a way that is both economically and environmentally viable.
Against this backdrop, water recycling emerges as a strategic and necessary response to the region's persistent water stress. It involves treating wastewater from domestic, industrial and agricultural sources to a standard that makes it safe for reuse—either for non-potable uses such as irrigation, industrial cooling and landscaping, or for indirect potable reuse (such as for recharging groundwater aquifers) and direct potable reuse (such as drinking and food preparation). This not only increases the overall availability of water but also reduces the reliance on desalination, mitigates environmental pollution by preventing the discharge of untreated effluent into natural ecosystems, and enables the recovery of valuable resources, such as nutrients and energy, that are embedded in wastewater.
Water recycling as a key strategy in the region
Water recycling in the Middle East is not just necessary to address scarcity; it is about unlocking a range of cross-sectoral benefits. Recycled water plays a vital role in reducing pressure on freshwater and desalinated water supplies, lowering energy consumption and improving the sustainability of urban and agricultural systems. These benefits are clearly seen in the large-scale, innovative projects developed in the region.
For example, Jordan's As-Samra Wastewater Treatment Plant is treating nearly 70 percent of Jordan's wastewater using anaerobic digestion to convert organic sludge into biogas while covering up to 80 percent of the Plant's own energy needs. Similarly, in Egypt, the New Delta Wastewater Treatment Plant—the largest of its kind globally—processes over seven million cubic meters per day, while also recovering phosphorus and nitrogen to produce sustainable fertilizers that support agricultural expansion into arid regions. In Dubai, recycled water is used for irrigating green spaces, operating district cooling systems and firefighting infrastructure, resulting in significant cost savings.
Barriers to widespread adoption of water recycling
Although the environmental and economic benefits of water recycling are clear, it has not been adopted worldwide due to persistent and multi-layered challenges. Approximately 52 percent of wastewater is treated globally, but this figure conceals the stark disparities among countries based on their level of economic development. While high-income economies (such as those in Western Europe) treat about 74 percent of their wastewater, the percentage drops significantly to approximately 4.3 percent in low-income economies (such as those in South Asia and sub-Saharan Africa). These differences reflect disparities in access to infrastructure, funding and technical expertise. Many treatment facilities in lower income countries are outdated, underfunded, or undersized, impairing their ability to produce water of sufficient quality for reuse. Even when water treatment is possible, there is a lack of distribution networks—often located far from treatment plants—capable of safely distributing recycled water to end users. Building and maintaining the necessary infrastructure for water recycling, especially when the recycled water has to move in the opposite direction of existing sanitation flows, requires significant capital investment and long-term planning.
This issue is further compounded by pollution at the source. Industrial discharges containing high levels of toxic chemicals require more effort and resources to treat, thereby increasing the cost of treating the water, and ultimately threatens the safety of recycled water. Thus, strengthening environmental regulations to ensure effective pre-treatment and reducing the use of harmful chemicals in industrial processes is crucial. Abu Dhabi, for example, promulgated the Recycled Water and Biosolids Regulations 2021, which establishes a legal framework for the safe and economic reuse and management of recycled water and biosolids. These regulations use the World Health Organization's guidelines to define permissible limits for microbes, chemicals and other contaminants in recycled water. They also mandate that the entities responsible for converting wastewater into recycled water (whether treatment providers or disposal licensees) prepare a comprehensive safety strategy tailored to different end users, which must incorporate an assessment of potential environmental risks. This helps ensure that recycled water remains safe for a range of uses while holding licensed treatment providers and disposal entities accountable for management and control of water contaminants.
Another enduring barrier to successfully adopting water recycling is sociocultural resistance. Cultural attitudes, misinformation and social stigma still deter many people from supporting the adoption and use of recycled water, particularly for uses such as food production or drinking water. Even when treated to international standards using advanced processes such as reverse osmosis, recycled water is frequently viewed as impure or unsafe, a perception that can outweigh contrary scientific evidence. Thus, this disconnect between public understanding and acceptance, and technical reality undermines demand, and ultimately, it weakens political and private capital support for investment in water recycling infrastructure.
Institutional frameworks are essential
Shifting cultural perceptions require more than just reassurance: It demands targeted engagement. Public awareness campaigns must not only explain how recycled water is safe but also reframe it as a valuable asset that is essential to long-term sustainability. Countries such as the United Arab Emirates are making progress on this front by integrating water conservation themes into national narratives and public policy. For example, in 2019, the UAE issued the "Water Recycling Policy," which enforces rigorous quality controls, but also actively promotes the use of recycled water for non-potable purposes such as irrigation, district cooling and industrial operations. Further, "The UAE Water Security Strategy 2036" has set a target to increase the reuse of treated water to 95 percent by 2036, and Dubai, which has been at the forefront, has committed to reaching 100 percent wastewater recycling by 2030 — a goal directly supporting the UAE's Net Zero Carbon Emissions Strategy 2050 by reducing power demand from desalination and preserving precious groundwater reserves.
Abu Dhabi is also incentivising agricultural consumers to reduce their reliance on potable and groundwater by introducing a recycled water tariff for agricultural consumption through Executive Council Resolution. No. (185) of 2021. The recycled water tariff (priced at AED 1.7 per cubic meter) is roughly half the cost of the subsidized desalinated potable water rate for agriculture and is currently the cheapest water source available through Abu Dhabi's utility network for farms.
These examples demonstrate that a robust institutional and regulatory framework is not just a supporting element — it is the backbone of any successful water recycling strategy. Without a clear regulatory framework that defines quality standards, enforces safety measures and aligns incentives, even the most advanced treatment systems may remain underutilised.
In short, water scarcity is no longer a distant concern. It is a growing reality that will shape the future of communities, economies and ecosystems worldwide. As the effects of climate change intensify and freshwater reserves (which are overdrawn) continue to decline, the strain on global water systems will only deepen. For this reason, water recycling stands out as a powerful tool to ease water stress and to build long-term resilience. The potential is vast: studies suggest that recycled wastewater could irrigate and fertilize over a million hectares across the region, while embedded carbon in wastewater could power millions of homes. However, unlocking this potential will require sustained investment in modern infrastructure, clear and enforceable regulatory frameworks, public and private funding and critically, a shift in public perception. The success of water recycling initiatives in the Middle East highlights the multi-dimensional value of treating wastewater as a resource rather than a liability — and serves as a powerful reminder that the solution to the water crisis may not lie in finding more water, but in doing more with the water we have already.
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