News
Water news
Developments in water across the Middle East and North Africa. Every item lists the sources it rests on.
Egypt signs private operation contracts for 11 desalination plants
Egypt's Ministry of Housing, Utilities and Urban Communities announced on 18 October the signing of operation and maintenance contracts for 11 seawater desalination plants with a combined design capacity of 485,000 cubic metres a day.
Tehran's five dams hold 383 million cubic metres in mid-October
Mehr News Agency reported on 18 October, citing national water statistics, that the five main dams supplying Tehran held 383 million cubic metres on 11 October.
Istanbul's dams rise by 14 points after four days of rain
Data from Istanbul's water utility İSKİ, published by Anadolu Agency, show the average fill of the dams supplying the city rising from 38.06 per cent on 14 October to 48.02 per cent on 16 October, after rain that began on the evening of 13 October.
Veolia joint venture wins five-year contract at Oman's Al Asilah desalination plant
Bahwan Veolia Water, a joint venture of Veolia and Bahwan Engineering Company, has won a five-year operation and maintenance contract for the Al Asilah desalination plant in South Al Sharqiyah, Oman, according to SaudiGulf Projects.
Euphrates runs high at Hit while the south waits for water
The Euphrates at Hit, in Anbar, reached a discharge of about 1,000 cubic metres a second after releases from Haditha Dam, local water resources officials told 964media on 14 October.
Heavy rain floods Tripoli
Heavy rain flooded roads, homes and shops in Tripoli on 13 October, Reuters reported, citing Libyan authorities and a local television channel.
South Lebanon water utility opens a control centre funded by the Red Cross
Lebanon's Ministry of Energy and Water reported on 9 October that the South Lebanon Water Establishment had inaugurated a SCADA control and management system, under the patronage of Energy and Water Minister Joe Saddi.
Two pumping stations restore supply for about 2 million people near Damascus
The Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA), the state news agency, reported on 8 October that two pumping stations on the southern axis of Damascus, at the Eighth and Fifth Intersections, were put into service to improve drinking water supply for around 2 million people in Damascus countryside and southern Damascus.
Israel stockpiles desalination membranes after the algae shutdown
Calcalist reported on 6 October that Israel's state bought replacement membranes for the privately owned desalination plants, at an estimated NIS 45 million (about US$15 million) by its own analysis.
Parts of Grand Tunis face a 36-hour water cut
Tunisia's national water utility, SONEDE, announced disruptions and cuts to the drinking water supply lasting up to 36 hours from 1 am on Tuesday 6 October, in districts of La Marsa, Le Kram, Carthage, El Khadhra, La Goulette and La Soukra in Grand Tunis.
Desalination output in southern Gaza falls to its lowest level, UN reports
The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said in its situation report of 2 October that water production at the two seawater desalination plants in southern Gaza had fallen to its lowest output, for lack of spare parts and equipment.