The GCC water landscape is complex, strewn with challenges yet ripe with opportunities. It stands as one of the world’s most water-scarce regions where water is as precarious as gold.
Projections indicate that water availability in the region is poised to decrease by 50% by the year 2030, coinciding with an anticipated population surge in the GCC from its current 41 million to an estimated 52 million.
Historically, groundwater has been a primary source of freshwater, but the over-extraction of this resource has led to concerns about its long-term sustainability.
Consequently, a crucial shift towards alternative water sources has made desalination of seawater and brackish water the norm in the entire Middle East.
However, amidst this quest for water security lies a paradox. “While energy-intensive desalination appears to be the lifeline, the region has some of the lowest water prices in the world, resulting into a very high per capita water consumption,” says Thierry Froment, CEO, Veolia Water Technologies, Middle East.
The intrigue deepens as Froment unravels the contradiction. “While facing water scarcity, over half of the consumed freshwater ends up in sewage treatment plants, with more than 50% of treated sewage water being discharged into the sea,” he observes.
“Consequently, this discharged water requires further energy-intensive desalination before it can be reused.”
For Froment, the message is clear – energy optimisation in desalination and wastewater treatment is no longer a luxury; it’s an imperative. And it is for this reason that water solutions companies such as Veolia Water Technologies have positioned themselves as beacons of change in the Middle East.
“In the UAE for instance, there is urgent need to align with the UAE’s Water Security Strategy 2036, a visionary plan to slash water demand by 21% and elevate water reuse to an astonishing 95%,” Froment says.
Similar ambitious targets in the region echo global sustainability efforts and call for a regulatory framework that nurtures efficient water management.
The Middle East is witnessing the emergence of new regulations designed to usher in more responsible water practices.
Saudi Arabia, which ranks third in per capita water consumption, uses 248.7 litres per person daily, and is the world’s top desalinated water producer at 17% of global capacity.
The country aims to lead the GCC in treated sewage effluent (TSE) utilisation, with plans to increase reuse from 0.34 million cm/d to 1.9 million cm/d by 2020.
Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 targets 100% wastewater reuse in urban areas.
“Saudi Arabia has barred the use of brackish water for agriculture and industry, sparking the drive for better water utilisation and reuse,” Froment observes.
Qatar, too, has enforced stringent mandates, setting industries on a path toward near-zero liquid discharge through advanced treatment technologies.
In parallel to efforts seen in other parts of the world, there’s a growing need in the Middle East to address the issue of ultimate residue, which is the concentrated brine produced after water treatment.
While some cases allow for its safe discharge into the sea, often this brine contains pollutants that require proper treatment and disposal.
An example of addressing this challenge can be seen in the Jebel Ali plant in the UAE, constructed and operated by Veolia, which serves as a model for effective management of ultimate residue.
However, this practice remains limited due to the lack of facilities capable of handling such waste.
“Veolia’s mission centres on accelerating ecological transformation, a purpose embedded in Veolia Water Technologies’ efforts,” says Froment. “Our focus in the GCC is to guide clients in reducing carbon emissions and optimising the region’s precious water resources.”
The company operates under the umbrella of the Veolia Group, a French powerhouse boasting over 150 years of excellence with more than 220,000 employees and an annual revenue surpassing $45 billion.
This lineage extends to Veolia Water Technologies (VVT), a specialised entity adept at orchestrating water treatment projects ranging from grand sewage and desalination plants to intricate laboratory setups.
“In the Middle East, our division stands tall with around 1,000 dedicated employees, generating revenue exceeding 200 million euros,” says Froment.
With a strong presence across the entire region, the company’s influence in the water sector is felt in countries such as Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, Egypt, Lebanon, and Turkey.
Its portfolio comprises a versatile array of technologies, finely calibrated to address the nuanced water demands of each country in the region.
As Veolia Water Technologies spearheads these efforts, the Middle East’s water sector stands to gain both efficiency and resilience, contributing to a more water-secure future.
The UAE’s goal of reaching 95% water reuse is widely considered a commendable standard, only comparable to Israel’s achievements on that front.
Dubai’s 30% carbon reduction goal by 2030, aligned with UAE’s climate neutrality aim for 2050, has set the stage for Veolia Water Technologies’ collaboration with Dubai Municipality.
A key element in this collaboration is Veolia’s AnitaMox™, which streamlines sewage treatment by processing eluate separately, enhancing plant efficiency.
This partnership showcases innovative solutions in Dubai’s dynamic landscape, marking a vital stride towards sustainability and tech advancement in the region.
But broadly, Veolia Water Technologies’ priorities include reducing desalination plant carbon footprints and optimising sewage treatment facilities for reusable water, lessening potable water use by municipalities and industries.
The company led a transformative project for Ras Al Khaimah Wastewater Agency (RAKWA). This entailed a sewage treatment plant with innovative Biothane anaerobic UASB technology, achieving a remarkable 50% reduction in electricity consumption compared to conventional methods.
The collaboration between Veolia Water Technologies and its sister company, Veolia Water Technologies & Solutions following the acquisition of SUEZ, is helping to offer a comprehensive range of technologies for treating effluents in the oil & gas sector, covering both upstream and downstream operations.
Their expertise extends to deoiling techniques, allowing for significant water reuse. This has been showcased through the large-scale zero liquid discharge (ZLD) system implemented at Shell Pearl in Qatar, standing as one of the world’s largest ZLD plants in the oil and gas industry.
A recent advancement, CoaFil™, a patented deoiling technology, underscores the commitment to addressing oily wastewater treatment challenges. CoaFil™ effectively meets stringent industry requirements for discharge, water reuse, or reinjection applications.
“Its innovative design efficiently handles higher oil and solids content while consistently maintaining discharge levels below 1 part per million (ppm),” Froment, whose career spans oil, gas and water treatment, points out.
“The solution streamlines the treatment process by eliminating the need for conventional secondary and tertiary treatment steps, reducing costs and enhancing efficiency.”
Efforts by Veolia Water Technologies are deeply rooted in technological advancement to reduce energy consumption and maximise water reuse, aligning with the region’s environmental goals.
In the UAE and Qatar, innovative strategies like treated sewage effluent (TSE) polishing plants have been established to repurpose treated sewage for cooling tower feed, reducing water waste and consumption.
In Qatar, Veolia is collaborating with Baladna, a major dairy producer, to reduce reliance on dwindling brackish water sources, with the establishment of a 22,000 m3/day wastewater treatment plant. The treated water is repurposed for flushing within the expansive cow farm, and with further polishing, it’s used for cooling the cows during hot months.
“Despite our technical capabilities, achieving the region’s water target faces major economic hurdles,” Froment observes.
“The region’s high per capita water consumption highlights room for improvement. Pricing mechanisms and mindset shifts, as seen in European countries, can help encourage water conservation.”
Veolia’s efforts prioritise practical and sustainable solutions, aligning with water scarcity challenges and environmental goals. Recent French regulations mirroring water quality tailoring support their approach.
Shifting focus to Dubai’s high-rise towers, despite their premium nature, their energy efficiency measures often lag behind due to inadequate insulation and cooling.
Froment suggests a judicious investment of around 10% during the construction phase to enhance energy efficiency, offering substantial benefits relative to real estate prices. This approach presents an opportunity for sustainability progress in Dubai, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia, especially given the strategic importance of these markets.
Regarding seawater desalination, Veolia Water Technologies’ specialised unit, SIDEM, has spearheaded desalination solutions for over five decades.
Innovations in pre-treatment, including multimedia filters and optimised dissolved air flotation systems, have been pivotal in minimising fouling, scaling, and membrane degradation, thus enhancing longevity and efficiency.
The energy reduction has been substantial, with an 80% decrease since the 1980s and a subsequent 25% decrease in the last decade, aligning with sustainability goals.
Important to note is the Smart Membrane within the Hubgrade digital solution, employing analytics and machine learning for predictive maintenance, fortifying the company’s commitment to cutting-edge desalination practices.
Veolia, via its subsidiary SIDEM, secured an engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contract for Abu Dhabi’s Mirfa 2 desalination project, commissioned by TAQA and ENGIE. Set to produce 550,000 cubic meters of potable water daily, it will serve 210,000 households with efficiency and a smaller environmental footprint.
The contract represents revenue of approximately 300 million euros for Veolia. Beginning construction in Q2 2023, the plant aims for a 2025 commissioning.
“Leveraging Veolia’s global desalination expertise, Mirfa 2 integrates cutting-edge processes like reverse osmosis, reducing energy use by 80% from the thermal desalination era, aligning with modern environmental and efficiency standards,” says Froment.
Froment highlights the transformative Barrel™ concept introduced by SIDEM and how it is revolutionising seawater reverse osmosis (SWRO) plant design.
The Barrel™ employs advanced membrane technology, with secure, compact, and connected features. It requires minimal civil work, using 25% less ground space than traditional SWRO systems.
“By reducing high-pressure connections, safety risks are curtailed. Intelligent sensors enable remote operation and predictive maintenance, while also cutting electricity consumption,” Froment observes.
Last year, Veolia agreed to collaborate with ITOCHU and ENOWA, a subsidiary of NEOM, to develop a first-of-its-kind selective desalination plant powered by 100% renewable energy in Oxagon, NEOM’s advanced manufacturing and innovation city.
The 500,000m3 per day new state-of-the-art plant will use advanced membrane technology to produce separate brine streams. This enables ENOWA to produce brine-derived products, which will be developed and monetised downstream.
“Brine, which is usually considered a waste output of desalination, will be used to produce significant quantities of valuable industrial materials that can be used locally or exported internationally,” says Froment.
“This is a departure from conventional discharge practices. The concept involves recovering valuable salts, such as lithium, from the brine rather than discarding it into the sea.”
“To facilitate this process, an upfront nanofiltration process will concentrate the seawater, enabling efficient subsequent brine mining. Our subsidiary, Veolia Water Technology and Solutions, manufactures nanofiltration membranes optimised for this purpose.”
According to Froment, digitalisation plays a crucial role in enhancing efficiency and reducing the carbon footprint of plants at Veolia Water Technologies.
“Leveraging algorithms and artificial intelligence, Veolia creates virtual twins of plants, optimising performance based on incoming flow and water quality,” he points out.
The recent acquisition of significant assets, particularly from Veolia Water Technology and Solutions, has fortified Veolia’s technological arsenal, aligning with their goal of ecological transformation.
But moving forward, mobile water systems, designed for various situations from desalination to emergencies, will be a key contributor to the company’s revenue growth and are set for expansion alongside parallel offerings from Veolia Water Technology and Solutions.
Veolia will also continue to focus on water technology and optimising the water process, partnering with Engineering, Procurement, and Construction (EPC) firms to design efficient treatment plants.
“This strategic shift streamlines operations while delivering cutting-edge technology for enhanced competitiveness,” says Froment.
