The Middle East and North Africa (MENA) has a predominately dry and arid climate that has traditionally seen low rainfall and high temperatures. This mix of environmental circumstances means that water is a scarce resource in the region. As per data from the United Nations, seven out of the 10 most water-stressed nations are in the MENA region, where water stress – on average – is said to be 820%. This data highlights that the annual water withdrawal from renewable water resources is eight times higher than the available supply, which also indicates that those countries are relying heavily on technology such as desalination to address water requirements.

Water stress is an enduring and growing challenge for the MENA region; water stress levels are said to have doubled from 8,411% in 1987 to 16,422% in 2017, driven by a variety of factors including increased demand for water due to development needs and population growth, and environmental factors such as rising temperatures.

In recent years, regional governments have sought to meet water stress challenges by ramping up the development of desalination plants, increasing the amount of water they recycle, and rolling out national strategies to increase water efficiency. These approaches have had a positive impact but much more can be done to conserve natural sources and develop alternative water sources, particularly when it comes to sectors such as the built environment.

The second edition of this event will bring together experts to discuss a variety of topics including: advanced water management strategies; water management and capture in future cities; the importance of wastewater and sewage infrastructure to reduce the environmental impact of cities; water conservation strategies on construction sites; influencing the construction supply chain to reduce its consumption of water when extracting raw materials or producing materials for structures, and much more.

The second edition of the Future of Water Summit will present content in a variety of different formats, including high-level panel discussions, keynote speeches, fireside discussions, and expert presentations. The event’s content will focus on the following themes:

• Advanced water management strategies and controls that government entities can roll out to ensure the success of their national water strategies
• Incorporating robust infrastructure into current and future cities to better manage wastewater and capture storm water
• Developing advanced sewage recycling facilities to reduce the environmental impact of cities on the environment, and prevent contaminated water from polluting natural bodies of water
• Reducing the consumption of water across the entire construction and manufacturing supply chain

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