In the arid landscapes of the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), the quest for a sustainable water supply is more pressing than ever. As the region faces the challenges of climate change, there are mounting challenges and opportunities for Artificial Intelligence (AI) to secure this precious resource efficiently.
🎯 MENA’s Water Challenge
It is estimated that inefficient distribution networks cause at least 45 m³ of water to be lost daily in developing nations. It is predicted that 3.5 billion people will live in water-scarce areas by 2025. These statistics highlight the need for a smart monitoring solution to prevent water supplies from running out!
The MENA region, which has 7% of the world’s population but just 1% of its freshwater resources, serves as a prime example of the issues we confront. Approximately 83% of the 500 million inhabitants living in 25 MENA countries consume more than 80% of the renewable water supply.
There is a significant obstacle due to the disparity between the high demand and limited supply of water, but artificial intelligence is already making a difference and its role in the coming years will be crucial. Future technological developments must avert a major catastrophe.
💡 AI-Driven Sustainable Solutions
AI technologies, including machine learning and data analytics, offer innovative solutions for optimizing water usage and distribution. With systems such as GAILL, governments and utilities could monitor the status and availability of water, issue relevant consumption bills, and prevent the unnecessary waste of resources.
Real-time monitoring of water networks, predictive analytics for demand forecasting, and the identification of leakages through advanced algorithms empower water utilities to make informed decisions, ensuring the judicious use of available resources.
In the United Arab Emirates, AI is spearheading sustainable projects in agriculture, disaster relief, and water management. A research by PwC, commissioned by Microsoft, estimates that using AI for environmental applications could contribute up to $5.2 trillion to the global economy in 2030, a 4.4 percent increase relative to business as usual.
🔑 Conclusion
As the MENA region embraces the potential of AI, it charts a course towards a future where water scarcity is mitigated, and the well-being of its people is safeguarded through intelligent and sustainable water practices.
Currently, machine learning uses data analysis to forecast and resolve issues. Continuous improvements in AI algorithms will boost optimization, and as AI technologies develop further, we may anticipate seeing more creative approaches to maximizing the use of water resources, and enhancing water sustainability in general.
Innovative technology is poised to make our cities smarter and more resilient to water challenges. Complemented by partnerships between public and private sector entities, there are increasing opportunities to bridge more gaps and allow young start-ups to introduce novel solutions.