Water and Wastewater in the Development of Industrial Cities

Sam Murdock, Director of Water Services, Byrne Looby Partners

Water, Electricity & Power Generation Forum15th May 2014

Byrne Looby ExperienceInternational civil engineering consultants

Byrne Looby ExperienceDelivering municipal and industrial water and wastewater infrastructure projects across the Middle East

Industrial Developments

Jubail - Hydraulic Model for Water Reuse

Waad al Shamal – Water and Wastewater concept design

Mesaieed Industrial City – TSE system for Qatar Petroleum

Industrial Cities in KSA

• Number of cities increasing• Modon overseas 30 existing

and developing cities• Cities located near natural

resources – locations can be very remote• More than 3,00 factories in

existing cities

Courtesy of Fujitsu and MODON

Water Challenges in KSA

Over 80% of water is withdrawn from non-renewable groundwater aquifers,

estimated to contain only a 15-25 year supply of water

Water Challenges in KSA• Only 65% of wastewater

generate in the Arabian Peninsula is treated• KSA target - by 2025, cities

over 5,000 people should be reclaiming nearly 100 percent of their water• Water currently is mainly

reused for irrigation

Wastewater production, treatment and reuse in Saudi Arabia, 2009

Kajenthira, Arani, Laura Diaz Anadon, and Afreen Siddiqi. "A New Case for Wastewater Reuse in Saudi Arabia: Bringing Energy into the Water Equation." Policy Brief, Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs, Harvard Kennedy School, June 2011.

Challenges for Industrial Cities• high water demand for industrial processes• secure supply required• remote locations not connected to supply and

distribution systems

Water Supply for Industrial CitiesOptions:- Piped desalinated water- Groundwater source- Supply by tankers

Challenges:- Cost- Lack of infrastructure- Security of supply - essential

Water Supply for Industrial CitiesDesalination options:- Reverse Osmosis- Thermal Desalination

Costs/challenges:- Oil/gas use – water costs linked to

commodity price- Transportation – infrastructure and

costs- Feed water quality in Arabian Gulf

Wastewater Treatment for Industrial CitiesChallenges:- Cost- Lack of infrastructure- Final effluent and pollution of receiving waters

(desalination concern)

Efficient Waste Solutions

Water Reuse Systems

Process Optimisation

Options studies for industrial processes to improve potential for water reuseClose collaboration with operator to identify process change possibilities

Economic and Environmental Factors

Kajenthira, Arani, Laura Diaz Anadon, and Afreen Siddiqi. "A New Case for Wastewater Reuse in Saudi Arabia: Bringing Energy into the Water Equation." Policy Brief, Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs, Harvard Kennedy School, June 2011.

Economic and Environmental Observations

Kajenthira, Arani, Laura Diaz Anadon, and Afreen Siddiqi. "A New Case for Wastewater Reuse in Saudi Arabia: Bringing Energy into the Water Equation." Policy Brief, Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs, Harvard Kennedy School, June 2011.

Typically for inland cities, the provision of desalinated water is more energy-intensive than the secondary or tertiary treatment of local wastewater

Economic and Environmental Observations

Kajenthira, Arani, Laura Diaz Anadon, and Afreen Siddiqi. "A New Case for Wastewater Reuse in Saudi Arabia: Bringing Energy into the Water Equation." Policy Brief, Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs, Harvard Kennedy School, June 2011.

Thermal desalination, using fossil fuels, without cogeneration is never as economically competitive as Reverse Osmosis

Economic and Environmental Observations

Kajenthira, Arani, Laura Diaz Anadon, and Afreen Siddiqi. "A New Case for Wastewater Reuse in Saudi Arabia: Bringing Energy into the Water Equation." Policy Brief, Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs, Harvard Kennedy School, June 2011.

It is estimated that 29% of total industrial water withdrawls could be saved through water reuse, recycling and conservation methods

Economic and Environmental Observations

Kajenthira, Arani, Laura Diaz Anadon, and Afreen Siddiqi. "A New Case for Wastewater Reuse in Saudi Arabia: Bringing Energy into the Water Equation." Policy Brief, Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs, Harvard Kennedy School, June 2011.

It is estimated that 26% of urban water needs could be met by treated waste water

Thank you