Nile Basin Countries Urged to Use Science, Technology for Sustainable Water Management

Addis Ababa, April 1/2024 (ENA)  Nile Basin countries need to recognize the importance of science and technology as key instruments for sustainable water management in the region, Water and Environmental Engineering Professor Esayas Alemayehu said. 

In an exclusive interview with ENA, the professor noted that science and technology have huge contribution for sustainable water management in the Nile Basin countries. 

Elaborating his point the professor stated that there are different aspects of water resources, like infinite water resources.

"The Basin is bounded by sea and ocean. There is the Mediterranean Sea in the northern part, the Red Sea in the northeast, and the Indian Ocean in the southern part," he said, adding that "we can therefore try to use the infinite water resources, converting them to freshwater resources that will alleviate and make the water peace and we can manage properly."  

In this aspect, Professor Esayas pointed out that the integral part is science and technology. If we advance desalination, we can easily convert saline water into freshwater. 

He cited the experience of countries like Libya and Algeria, indicating that Egypt, which has a large coastal line greater than 2500 km, can also easily extract the water from the Mediterranean Sea to the Red sea with simple technology and alleviate the problem.  

But, he also stressed the need for properly managing water resources as there is huge water loss in the basin. 

"If we, for example, advance the science technology in distribution system like what Ethiopia is starting to control the loss by looking at the water pressure in the distribution system and detect  leakage we can mitigate the huge loss of water in the region." 

Besides, the professor advises the Nile Basin countries to utilize used water in order to mitigate some of the problems in water crisis. 

"In Israel, 85 percent of the water supply for agriculture comes from used water. Nile Basin countries can use such an approach to mitigate some of the problems." 

Yet, Professor Esayas underscored that cooperation is very important even to advance science and technology. 

According to him, several researchers have established that the science and technology in the Nile Basin countries are not as expected because the demand is very high.

Thus, science and technology need to be accelerated to minimize dispute in the region. 

He stressed that science and technology work as a bridge to bring the different countries together and to show different directions to ensure the use of an unconventional water resource.