Environmental and Economic Aspects of Wastewater Reuse in Saudi Arabia

ABSTRACT

The annual rainfall in Saudi Arabia is less than 100 mm/year and there are no rivers or lakes. Therefore, the renewable surface and groundwater resources are not sufficient to meet increasing demand in the domestic, commercial, industrial, and agricultural sectors. To supplement the deficit in water balance there is a growing interest in reuse of reclaimed wastewater. This article discusses wastewater reuse in Saudi Arabia, considering its environmental, economic, and social implications. Potential uses of reclaimed wastewater include irrigation, industrial processes, and groundwater recharge. Highly purified wastewater can also be used for domestic purposes including religious rituals according to the Islamic Sharia Law, provided that it has no adverse health effects. The unit cost of a tertiary treated effluent from a treatment plant in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia was estimated to be 1.1 SR (Saudi Riyals)/m^3.