Middle East

Middle East: beyond a new source

Assess water scarcity through resources, institutions and system costs.

Regional brief2 min readEdition: 25 September 2026

A regional evidence base

The World Bank’s Beyond Scarcity report examines water security in the Middle East and North Africa. It provides a broader perspective than supply augmentation alone, including the institutions that shape water management. The report is dated 2017 and is not a live project tracker.

The planning lens

A new desalination or reuse source must be considered alongside demand, energy, distribution, operating capability and affordability. Compare the whole supply chain and its environmental consequences, not only the volume produced at a plant.

Questions to carry forward

  • What causes the shortfall: physical scarcity, infrastructure constraints, losses or service arrangements?
  • How are operating costs and environmental impacts represented?
  • Which common dependencies affect supply reliability?
  • Who receives the benefits and who bears the costs?

Related perspectives

Compare Singapore’s portfolio with a structured options assessment. Regional examples illustrate decisions; they do not establish universal design solutions.

Sources & further reading

Source findings are distinguished from editorial interpretation. Apply current local criteria and project evidence when making engineering decisions.