The Saudi Development and Reconstruction Program for Yemen (SDRPY) is set to establish a desalination plant in Aden, the interim capital, with a capacity of 10,000 cubic meters.
Government documents revealed a significant shortage in the city’s drinking water supply, meeting only half of its daily needs. Desalination is now proposed as the crucial solution to address this deficit, given the city’s reliance on water from neighboring provinces.
Yemeni Minister of Water and Environment, Tawfiq Al-Sharjabi, held a meeting with a Saudi delegation from the Saudi General Authority for Desalination and a team from SDRPY.
Discussions centered around project-related data and studies, which aim to generate 10,000 cubic meters of water per day to meet the needs of the population.
Furthermore, potential sites for the plant's establishment were evaluated.
According to official sources, the project aims to enhance renewable water sources through water desalination, utilizing the latest technologies and highest standards of water quality.
Its purpose is to contribute to achieving water security and improving the quality of life in Yemen.
Additionally, the project aims to build the capacities of the workforce in the field of desalination, enhance freshwater sources, transfer Saudi expertise to Yemen, diversify water sources, and meet the water needs of Aden province.
Since its establishment, the SDRPY has successfully implemented 32 water development projects and initiatives in Yemen.
The Yemeni Water and Environment Ministry affirmed that these endeavors have effectively met the daily needs, enhanced water sources, and ensured their sustainability in both urban and rural areas.
Establishing the desalination plant is in accordance with the Water and Environment Ministry’s endorsement of the National Strategy for Utilizing Non-Conventional Water Resources.
The strategy prioritizes the desalination of seawater and the treatment of sewage drainage to benefit the inhabitants of Aden.
Data indicates a discernible rise in freshwater consumption, escalating from 21.72 million cubic meters in 2019 to 22.33 million cubic meters in 2022.
Projections anticipate a further increase to around 22.5 million cubic meters by the end of 2023.
According to Yemeni authorities, Aden is of immediate concern, not only because it serves as the temporary capital but also due to the critical and persistent water supply crisis it faces.
Aden’s local water and sanitation institution has encountered obstacles in expanding its existing sources and water fields, primarily due to limited resources and the depletion of surface and groundwater sources in nearby regions.
Furthermore, there has been a substantial annual decrease in the static water level of the institution’s water fields.
