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  • US lawmaker introduces bill to rein in Saudi water usage in Arizona

    A US lawmaker from the state of Arizona has introduced legislation in Congress that would impose a 300 percent tax on the sale of water-intensive crops grown by foreign companies in the state, in a bid to curb the extensive use of water in the drought-stricken state.

  • Water Woes Cloud Green Hydrogen’s Future In The Middle East

    A host of energy companies and governments around the globe are backing green hydrogen as the next big renewable energy source. The fuel is highly popular as it can be used to decarbonise the transportation sector, which is notoriously hard to make clean. It could also be used in highly polluting industries. As 1kg of hydrogen contains around three times as much energy as 1kg of petrol, it is viewed by many as a super-fuel for the green transition. But despite much optimism around the energy source, some are now accusing companies of exaggerating the cleanness of green hydrogen when produced in certain settings.

  • ROSHN launches new waterfront development comparable to size of Chicago

    ROSHN Group, Saudi Arabia’s most trusted multi-asset class real estate developer, and PIF giga-project, today announced MARAFY, a transformative, mixed-use development in north of Jeddah that will accommodate over 130,000 residents with an 11-kilometre-long manmade canal at its centre. MARAFY will provide a new waterfront around its manmade canal which will add a new destination to the north of Jeddah. The 11-kilometre-long and 100-metre-wide navigable canal will connect to and extend Obhur Creek, will be surrounded by multiple unique districts, it is the first canal ever to be built in Saudi Arabia, and ROSHN’s first fully mixed-use development.

  • America Is Draining Its Groundwater Like There’s No Tomorrow

    GLOBAL WARMING HAS FOCUSED concern on land and sky as soaring temperatures intensify hurricanes, droughts and wildfires. But another climate crisis is unfolding, underfoot and out of view. Many of the aquifers that supply 90 percent of the nation’s water systems, and which have transformed vast stretches of America into some of the world’s most bountiful farmland, are being severely depleted. These declines are threatening irreversible harm to the American economy and society as a whole. The New York Times conducted a months-long examination of groundwater depletion, interviewing more than 100 experts, traveling the country and creating a comprehensive database using millions of readings from monitoring sites. The investigation reveals how America’s life-giving resource is being exhausted in much of the country, and in many cases it won’t come back. Huge industrial farms and sprawling cities are draining aquifers that could take centuries or millenniums to replenish themselves if they recover at all.

  • Gulf Countries Explore Water Solutions to Mitigate Impacts of Climate Change

    Around 2 billion people lack access to safe drinking water, and 40% of the world’s population is affected by water scarcity, the United Nations reported at the conclusion of its 2023 Water Conference in March. Due to rising demand, pressure on freshwater supplies is projected to increase by more than 40% by 2050, the U.N. stated. Moreover, only 0.5% of the water on Earth is usable for human consumption, and climate change threatens this scarce supply.

  • Five of the six most water-stressed countries are in the Middle East and North Africa

    Water stress is a measure of how much demand there is for an area’s available water supply. A higher score means more people are competing for water.

  • Middle East’s groundwater shortage: Will it soon run out?

    Another reason why it's so difficult to pinpoint exact groundwater levels is that water doesn't respect national borders. ESCWA estimates there are 43 transboundary aquifers in the region. But only a few countries in the Middle East have what the ESCWA described in a 2021 report as "adequate" groundwater management. Additionally, if one country is extracting a lot of groundwater but the other countries that share it aren't pulling out the same, it's very hard to tell, said Houdret. An example is provided by Libya, Tunisia and Algeria who share a groundwater basin. Recent reports suggest Libya runs roughly half of some 6,500 wells taking water out of the basin, while Tunisia and Algeria have far less.

  • Middle East’s groundwater shortage: Will it soon run out?

    As rivers dry up and rainfall declines, water stored underground is more important than ever in the climate-change-impacted Middle East. The problem is: Nobody really knows how much is left.

  • Top Saudi infrastructure, water expos open next month

    Building on past year’s success, Saudi Infrastructure Expo is gearing up for its second edition which kicks off next month in capital Riyadh alongwith the debut Saudi Water Expo, the only event dedicated to the water industry in the kingdom, said its organisers dmg events. To be held from September 11 to 13 at the Riyadh International Conference & Exhibition Centre, it is the only event covering the full spectrum of systems and infrastructure needed for the creation of smart cities and utilities in the Saudi Arabia. Focusing on three key industry pillars - transport, utilities and urban technology - these curated show sectors cover the entire range of products, services and technology within the infrastructure industry making it easy for key buyers to access at the event.

  • AlKhorayef wins $426mln Saudi water maintenance contract

    Saudi Arabia's National Water Company (NWC) said it has awarded a Long-Term Operation and Maintenance (LTOM) contract worth over SR1.6 billion ($426 million) to Alkhorayef Water and Power Technologies Company for the rehabilitation, operation and maintenance of sewage treatment plants (STPs) in Riyadh. The 15-year-long deal is likely to contribute to the objectives of the National Water Strategy which is mainly aimed at achieving environmental sustainability, increasing investments in the water sector and opening up partnership opportunities for the private sector.