DUBAI — As the world marks World Water Day today (March 22), the Dow Chemical Company joins thousands of people across the globe in highlighting the urgent need to create a sustainable business model which recognizes water as a limited resource, and work towards advancing a circular economy to maximize and efficiently produce water.
According to the United Nations, over 80% of the wastewater generated globally flows back into the ecosystem without being treated or reused. Moreover, the World Health Organization states that 750 million people around the world – one in nine – lack access to safe water. The Middle East is considered one of the most ‘water-scarce’ regions in the world and the issue of water scarcity is rising to the top of national agendas.
World Water Day is held annually on March 22 as a means of focusing attention on the importance of freshwater, and advocating for the sustainable management of freshwater resources. This year’s theme, ‘Wastewater’, brings to attention the importance of moving from a linear economy model where we “take, make and dispose” of raw materials, to a circular approach in which raw materials are “reduced, reused and reclaimed.” As part of Dow’s 2025 Sustainability Goals, the company is committed to advancing a circular economy by offering solutions to help close the resource loops in key markets.
Zakia Bahjou, Regional Commercial Manager, Middle East, Africa and Turkey, Dow Water & Process Solutions, said “Dow believes that innovative technology and new collaboration models are key to making sustainable water management a possibility. As such, we are strongly invested in the development of separation and purification technologies as well as alliances and partnerships with entities beyond our direct value chain which would have a strong impact on the management of water resources.”
Water scarcity is emphasized by the intrinsic relationship between water and energy, otherwise known as the Water-Energy Nexus. The water-energy nexus can become a vicious cycle as poor management or inefficiencies in use in one area can affect the sustainability of the other. Meeting the emerging needs of the water-energy nexus can be done by making water filtration and purification technologies more effective and energy efficient.
Some of the most prominent technologies developed by Dow to support the environment include breakthrough reverse osmosis technologies that allow the removal of minerals from brackish water or desalination of seawater, while producing the same amount of high quality freshwater and reducing energy consumption by up to 30 percent. Likewise, Dow’s ultrafiltration technology assists in reverse osmosis pre-treatment in processes including drinking water production and treatments such as wastewater purification.
Dow Water and Process Solutions continues to focus on developing leading sustainable water technologies and enhancing human progress to make a global difference, while contributing on a local level to advancements in the water treatment sector. — SG
