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Clean drinking water and sanitation: the experience in the Arab region.

Article Excerpt
The Arab region, for the most part, is characterized by dry, harsh climatic conditions and associated scarce water resources. The average annual rainfall is less than 250 mm in 70 per cent of the region and less than 100 mm in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries. The available water resources are estimated at 265 [km.sup.3], with 225 [km.sup.3] of this in the form of surface water and the remaining 40 [km.sup.3] groundwater. Of these available resources, over 65 per cent originate outside the region--flowing into it via the Euphrates, Tigris and Nile rivers--a situation which gives rise to potential conflicts over shared water resources. Seven countries of the region rank among the ten most water-scarce in the world.

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The annual per capita share of renewable resources is less than 500 [m.sup.3] in 70 per cent of the region. The average per capita share is 800 [m.sup.3], which varies from 2,181 [m.sup.3] in the Mashriq subregion, down to 374 [m.sup.3] in the GCC subregion. Of this available water, the agriculture sector consumes about 88 per cent, while domestic and industrial consumptions are 7 per cent and 5 per cent, respectively.

The challenge of providing clean drinking water to the population of the region is not just one of supply, but also of quality, with water pollution posing a major threat,...

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