2019 has already witnessed a surge of water project announcements across the Middle East. Recently, MEED forecasted that water demand in the GCC territories will increase by 60% during the next six years, and governments are acting quickly to combat the looming water shortage by financing the construction of new water networks, desalination plants and dams, while sourcing more efficient and data-driven technologies:
The UAE just approved 5.8 billion dirhams for water projects in the northern areas of the country to build new dams, a federal water network to connect Abu Dhabi and Dubai, as well as a major desalination plant.
Kuwait is tendering the installation of 300,000 smart meters, with plans to install a total of 700,000 units. In addition, both the Al-Khairan Phase 1 and Az-Zour North 2&3 IWPPs are up for tendering in 2019, as Kuwait plans to add 330 million gallons per day of desalinated water capacity by 2030.
Water filtration systems are gaining momentum in UAE . Thanks to technologies such as carbon block filters, improved plastic-free filtrations systems, and UV OUT lamps for disinfecting water without chemicals, the uptake of filtering solutions by both households and commercial buildings is a growing market trend in the country.
Saudi Arabia plans to tender 6 major water projects in 2019 , focusing on wastewater and desalination, and is currently accepting bids from foreign and domestic firms. Recently, KSA also announced the construction of Jeddah 2 Independent Sewage Treatment Plant.
In Oman the 300,000 m3/day Al Ghubrah III and the 100,000 m3/day Barka V IWPs are due to be tendered this year. In February, 5 contracts were signed for the $480 million Duqm Integrated Electricity and Water Station project.