Water scarcity is an increasingly pressing issue in the Middle East and North Africa. Together with partners in the affected regions, researchers at HTWD are testing promising solutions such as groundwater recharge methods.

The MENA region (Middle East and North Africa) is facing one of the greatest challenges worldwide in terms of its water resources. Sustainable water management is therefore of crucial importance. Managed aquifer recharge (MAR), also known as water banking and artificial recharge, offers a promising solution. This involves the targeted infiltration of water into aquifers in order to recover it later or stabilise the groundwater level. This technique, which includes facilities such as bank filtration (UF), infiltration basins, ponds and wells and utilises natural surface water sources, rainwater and treated wastewater, helps to increase groundwater storage. In addition, water quality can be improved and a supply ensured in the event of drought.

Increased cooperation in particularly dry regions 

While MAR is already being used in many countries in the MENA region, the use of bank filtration has so far been limited mainly to Egypt. In order to tackle the scientific and technical challenges associated with MAR and UF in other regions as well, the HTWD's Department of Water Management has been cooperating with universities and non-university stakeholders in Jordan, Morocco, Lebanon and Syria since 2021 as part of the MEWAC-FEMAR and MENAWAT research projects. The researchers are currently investigating the feasibility of water recharge at sites in Jordan, Lebanon and Syria in collaboration with partners such as the Royal Scientific Society, the American University of Beirut and the University of Aleppo as well as German partners such as the Institute for Groundwater Management at TU Dresden and Umweltbüro GmbH Vogtland.

Together, they have explored a new potential site for bank filtrate extraction on the Zarqa River. Water quality and geohydraulic field investigations were carried out from September 2023 to January 2024. This led to the establishment of a measurement profile consisting of groundwater measuring points for sampling and monitoring water levels in order to evaluate the purification performance of bank filtration.

Promotion of educational and research cooperation

MENAWAT is focussing on strengthening educational and research cooperation in the field of MAR and UF with universities and non-university institutions in Jordan and Morocco. The German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) is funding this project as part of the "Ta'ziz Partnership - Scientific Co-operation". The project began with a workshop in Amman in September 2023, organised by the German-Jordanian University (GJU) and the HTWD. The event offered insights into water quality and trace substance analyses in Jordan as well as a case study on MAR from Morocco. Discussions focussed on the advantages and disadvantages of MAR and the integration of research results into academic curricula.

In this context, Jakob Sieg, a student in the fifth semester of the civil engineering degree programme at HTWD, completed a three-month research internship at GJU. During this time, the budding civil engineer carried out field and laboratory investigations into bank filtration on the Zarqa River, supported a Jordanian well construction company in the construction of groundwater measuring points and gained valuable experience in drilling methods. MENAWAT not only intensified scientific cooperation between Jordanian, Moroccan and German universities, companies and political actors, but also deepened intercultural understanding between the partners.

International university cooperation strengthens water resource management in the Middle East

Last November, a workshop on water management was held at the Jordan University of Science and Technology (JUST) in cooperation with the Water Diplomacy Centre (WDC). 30 graduate and doctoral students from various countries expanded their skills in geohydraulics, water quality, site exploration, well construction and groundwater modelling. The participants came not only from Jordan and Yemen, but also from Spain, Germany, Guatemala, India, Mexico, Malaysia and Romania. Collaboration between universities such as HTWD and GJU fostered further synergies between the MEWAC-FEMAR and MENAWAT projects for long-term impact on teaching, research and university management.