MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT

I am pleased to share the Spring edition of the IDA Global Connections, emphasizing the need to further connect and collaborate to offset water scarcity through sustainable innovations in the water and wastewater sector, to create lasting impact.

According to the United Nations, in less than two years from now, in 2025, 1.8 billion people will be living in countries or regions with absolute water scarcity, and two-thirds of the world's population could be living under water stressed conditions. This is not just critical and alarming but clearly signals that the sector is not moving fast enough to bridge the increasing gap between the demand and supply of water.

The pressure on natural water resources will not ease without serious action that addresses water scarcity both as a global challenge and as part of an interconnected ecosystem. It is also imperative to push and prioritize water security and sustainability as part of the global climate action agenda which has been gaining momentum across years of heavy lobbying by international decision makers and political heavyweights. That said, with the United Arab Emirates, being the hosting nation of COP28 this year, we are certain that water security will be a central focus during the event.

The question that we need to ask ourselves as industry leaders and key players across different sectors is; When will we stop thinking of wastewater as ‘waste’ and how can we further maximize its efficient utilization to show true value across different applications?

It’s paramount to promote the well campaigned statements that ‘every drop counts’ and that ‘every drop matters’. It’s true, they do matter. As populations, urbanization, and per capita income increase, so does wastewater production – it is the only water source that exhibits such growth. Water, the most essential and abundant asset in wastewater, can serve as a substitute for fresh water when properly treated. The success that the Gulf countries, one of the most arid and hot regions in the world, have secured using wastewater as feedwater for district cooling and for sustainable landscaping is commendable. In Egypt, the revolutionary progressive approach to treating agriculture wastewater to use for irrigation, expanding the agricultural land, and ensuring a reliable food supply and security, is also significant. Egypt has set a new world and industry milestone and secured the world largest agriculture wastewater treatment, recycling and reuse projects.

There are many other examples of mega opportunities that were made possible by engaging the private sector, leveraging Governments ability to scale impact, and by investing in research and development as well as commercializing new technologies. The key message here is that we must collaborate further and continue trying new things without prejudice to enable large scale sustainable impact. This, along with creating public awareness of the real value of water and the looming water scarcity statistics - I believe is the shortest- most sustainable- path to a more water positive world.

Securing water availability and accessibility is a complex challenge that we need to face head on, every day. There are no one-way fits all solutions and no shortcuts. Our world is circular and the economy, with its different sectors, reflects this circularity and this is how we need to address water scarcity. An inclusive approach that takes into consideration multiple players and factors and that respects individuality and offers customized solutions.

The IDA has been founded in 1973 under this premise and continues to engage at a larger scale with its members, including scientists, developers, off-takers, regulators, end-users, engineers, consultants, media, and researchers from governments, corporations, and academia, in more than 60 countries. I firmly believe that together we can succeed in developing a more concerted environment of collaboration and innovation – one discussion at a time.

Enjoy the read.

Sincerely,

Fady Juez