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ROUNDTABLE
Wasting away
With water availability at a critical low in the region, MENA Infrastructure speaks to industry experts to find out what can be done to help the situation. Water shortage is one of the biggest factors to take into consideration when developing infrastructure in the MENA region. How do you deal with this challenge? Derk Z. Maat. Water recycling and reuse is the solution to the water shortage in the region. However, the cost of treating wastewater to levels suitable for reuse is often expensive and represents a real technical challenge. The treatment of wastewater is also energy intensive and as a result the cost of treatment will increase as energy prices are projected to increase by 30-50 percent over the next three years. The challenge is to fi nd new and cost effective technology to treat wastewater, minimising infrastructure costs and operational energy related costs associated with current technologies and methods of treatment. Wastewater generated from human activity and food production is characterised by high organic contaminant levels. Biochemical approaches involving both mechanical processes in conjunction with advanced bio-processes represent the largest potential for cost savings and reuse/recycling of waste water for beneficial purposes. Coupled with this is a challenge to segregate water use into drinking water demand; grey water treatment and reuse; and black water treatment to grey water standards for reuse and recycling. William Danshin. Our HGF-hydro automatic gravity fi lter technology provides low cost ‘good water’. The biggest issue is that people and industries need to pay for ‘good water’. A recent survey of global water providers found
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that water prices worldwide rose by 10 percent last year, well above inflation. Water is today’s issue, not a question. Water is the oil of this century; in fact, it is the world’s most critical resource, more vital than oil as water sustains life and thus the global food chain.
“The challenge is to find new and cost effective technology to treat wastewater, minimising infrastructure costs and operational energy related costs associated with current technologies and methods of treatment” Derk Z. Maat What are the key advantages to be gained from water treatment and water reuse? WD. Less than one percent of all water naturally available on earth is suitable for agriculture and potable use. Water treatment and reuse is not an option anymore, it is an absolute necessity. Existing or anticipated water shortages may lead regulators to restrict or prohibit housing development in certain regions. Municipalities may restrict or place moratoriums on the availability of utilities, such as water and sewer tap. Homes consume 11 percent of all the freshwater in the United States. Agriculture accounts for roughly 70 percent of water use globally, with this share
Derk Z. Maat has 40 years of engineering and corporate management expertise in applying a wide range of environmental technologies to solid waste and wastewater management. Maat has been involved in consulting, design, construction, engineering, and technology development for clients across North America and around the world. As CEO and President of Scicorp International Corp, he has developed a wide range of micronutrient products for the stimulation of organic liquid and solid waste systems that has resulted in dramatic system performance improvements while at the same time eliminating odour issues in almost every application.
16/09/2010 10:22