# Water Scarcity
**Source**: https://www.aucegypt.edu/climate-change/water-scarcity
**Parent**: https://www.aucegypt.edu/climate-change
AUC activities address water scarcity encompass water and wastewater treatment and recycling using low cost approaches.
### Share on:
###
### The Challenge of Water Scarcity
The Middle East and North Africa region is one of those most affected by climate change and hydrological extremes, facing challenges such as low rainfall and high temperatures. Climate change is expected to put significant pressure on already scarce water resources. Egypt’s dependency on the Nile is 97% of its total renewable water resources, making it vulnerable to flow variation due to climate change or upstream human activities. Its water share currently stands at 560 m3 annually per capita, which is far below the water poverty line (1000 m3 annually per capita). Due to the effects of climate change and the rapid population growth, the annual share of water per person is expected to drop below the 500 m3 threshold of absolute water scarcity before 2030.
### **The Sustainable Way Forward**
Egypt is working on maximizing its water resources to meet the growing demand. The national measures include rationing water use, improving water quality, providing additional water resources and creating a suitable climate for optimal water management. The government has launched a national plan for water resources until 2037 and allocated $50 billion for water projects, possibly extending to $100 billion.
### **Where AUC Is Making an Impact**
Well-educated graduates and innovative technologies are crucial to implementing water-related adaptation actions in Egypt and the region. Therefore, AUC supports innovation in water-related education and research activities.
- [The Water, Energy, Food Technologies Diploma](https://sse.aucegypt.edu/programs/graduate/water-energy-food-diploma) aims to qualify professionals in the field of water, agriculture and energy to implement adaptation measures and sustainable resources management in desert areas.
- Research activities addressing water scarcity encompass water and wastewater treatment and recycling using low-cost approaches; water desalination research, including the development of novel desalination membranes with enhanced performances; the optimization of water desalination systems for solar energy use; and performance enhancement of mobile desalination units for use in remote locations.
- [The Center for Applied Research on the Environment and Sustainability (CARES)](https://sse.aucegypt.edu/centers/cares) aims to help Egypt, Africa and the MENA region to adapt to climate change by combining the three S’s of sun, sand and salty water to produce food sustainably. The Water-Energy-Food nexus entails research models for achieving resource security and demonstrating the concept of a circular economy, resting on the use of solar energy in seawater desalination and using the resulting fresh water for fish farming, from which the effluent water is used in crop cultivation.
####
####
####
####
####
####
####
####
####
#### Hani Sewilam
#### Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation
#### Professor, Institute of Global Health and Human Ecology Director, Center for Applied Research on the Environment and Sustainabilit*y*
[**Hani Sewilam Profile**](https://www.aucegypt.edu/fac/hanisewilam)
## Faculty Experts in the Field
[### Hani Sewilam
Professor, Global Health and Human Ecology](https://www.aucegypt.edu/fac/hani-sewilam)
[### Ahmed El-Gendy
Professor, Construction Engineering](https://www.aucegypt.edu/fac/ahmed-el-gendy)
[### Walid Fouad
Associate Professor, Biology](https://www.aucegypt.edu/fac/walid-fouad)
[### Amal Esawi
Professor, Mechanical Engineering](https://www.aucegypt.edu/fac/amal-esawi)
[### Adham Ramadan
Professor and Dean of Graduate Studies and Associate Provost for Research](https://www.aucegypt.edu/fac/adham-ramadan)
[### Tarek Madkour
Professor, Chemistry](https://www.aucegypt.edu/fac/tarek-madkour)
- February 11, 2024
### [Tackling Water Scarcity Through AI](https://www.aucegypt.edu/news/tackling-water-scarcity-through-ai)
Amal Esawi’s latest research employs AI and nano-enhanced materials to improve membranes used in desalination as a means of tackling water s...
[Science and Tech](https://www.aucegypt.edu/news/category/science-and-tech)
- May 2, 2023
### [Transforming Dirty Water into Clean Energy](https://www.aucegypt.edu/news/transforming-dirty-water-clean-energy)
A bolt of energy rattles the bonds of a water molecule: H2O. The links between the molecule begin to snap as the oxygen and hydrogen particl...
[Science and Tech](https://www.aucegypt.edu/news/category/science-and-tech)
- October 16, 2022
### [Shining a Light on Water Pollutants](https://www.aucegypt.edu/news/shining-light-water-pollutants)
Did you know that every type of bacteria has a unique light signature? Mohamed Swillam, professor and chair of the Department of Physics, is...
[Science and Tech](https://www.aucegypt.edu/news/category/science-and-tech)
- August 16, 2022
### [Hani Sewilam Wins Water-Energy-Food-Ecosystems Nexus Award](https://www.aucegypt.edu/news/hani-sewilam-wins-water-energy-food-ecosystems-nexus-award)
Hani Sewilam, professor at AUC’s Institute of Global Health and Human Ecology and CARES director, has been awarded the 2022 Water Energy Foo...
[Science and Tech](https://www.aucegypt.edu/news/category/science-and-tech)
- July 6, 2021
### [Solar Fuels, Clean Water, Face Mask Filters: Technological Solutions to Critical Issues](https://www.aucegypt.edu/news/solar-fuels-clean-water-face-mask-filters-technological-solutions-critical-issues)
What stands out about research conducted by Nageh Allam, professor of materials engineering, is the ability to create highly efficient solar...
[Science and Tech](https://www.aucegypt.edu/news/category/science-and-tech)
- March 2, 2021
### [AUC's NanoEbers Wins French-Egyptian Prize for Technology Detecting Water Toxins](https://www.aucegypt.edu/news/aucs-nanoebers-wins-french-egyptian-prize-technology-detecting-water-toxins)
The Department of Chemistry's NanoEbers recently won the Coup de Couer prize at the French Egyptian Startup Competition for creating a techn...
- March 22, 2020
### [Save Egypt's Water: 'Small is Big' - World Water Day](https://www.aucegypt.edu/news/save-egypts-water-small-big-world-water-day)
As reported by the United Nations, Egypt is facing an annual water deficit of around 7 billion cubic meters and is expected to experience a ...
- October 21, 2020
### [AUC's Center of Excellence for Water Participates in Cairo Water Week 2020](https://www.aucegypt.edu/news/aucs-center-excellence-water-participates-cairo-water-week-2020)
For the second year in a row, the Center of Excellence for Water at The American University in Cairo (AUC) is participating in Cairo Water W...
- September 28, 2020
### [The Center of Excellence for Water MOU Signing](https://www.aucegypt.edu/news/center-excellence-water-mou-signing)
AUC and Alexandria University signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Holding Company for Water and Wastewater, Sierra Engineeri...
- September 10, 2020
### [AUC's Center of Excellence for Water Offers Scholarships for Students in Egypt to Study Water Engineering](https://www.aucegypt.edu/news/aucs-center-excellence-water-offers-scholarships-students-egypt-study-water-engineering)
AUC’s USAID-funded Center of Excellence for Water is offering full four-year university scholarships for students in Egypt to study civil en...
- March 22, 2020
### [Wash Your Hands but Still Save Water](https://www.aucegypt.edu/news/wash-your-hands-still-save-water)
A tip from the Office of Sustainability: Turn off the tap while you scrub!
- October 29, 2019
### [Madina Mahmoud '12, '18 Receives Prestigious Award from Italy for 'A New Future for Water' Research](https://www.aucegypt.edu/news/madina-mahmoud-12-18-receives-prestigious-award-italy-new-future-water-research)
Congratulations to Madina Mahmoud '12, '18 for receiving the 2019 Eni Young African Talents Award for her research on "a new future for wate...
University News
- September 17, 2019
### [AUC, Alexandria University Establish Center of Excellence for Water](https://www.aucegypt.edu/news/auc-alexandria-university-establish-center-excellence-water)
AUC and Alexandria University have recently inaugurated a USAID-funded Center of Excellence for Water at Alexandria University.
- May 2, 2019
### [Water-Way: AUC, Alexandria University Partner in Consortium to Launch Center of Excellence in Water](https://www.aucegypt.edu/news/water-way-auc-alexandria-university-partner-consortium-launch-center-excellence-water)
AUC and Alexandria University are partnering to establish a USAID-funded Center of Excellence in Water. AUC, MIT and Cornell are the America...
- October 14, 2014
### [Sherine El Baradei: Global Warming Affects Nile Water Quality](https://www.aucegypt.edu/news/stories/sherine-el-baradei-global-warming-affects-nile-water-quality)
For Egypt, the threat of global warming lies not only in rising sea levels, which are particularly dangerous to coastal cities such as Alexa...
Our Faculty
Close dialog
### Going With The Flow
Close dialog
### Flood Resilience by Design
Close dialog
### AUC Alumnus Sherif Hosny '02, '05 Brings Fresh Greens to Egypt's Supermarkets
Close dialog
### AUC Tackles Climate Change With Water, Energy, Food Technologies Professional Diploma
Close dialog
### Egypt Water Crisis: Challenges and Solutions
Close dialog
### Madina Mahmmod – Eni Award 2019 | Eni Video Channel
Close dialog
### Egyptians' Daily Security and Ethiopia's Dam: Is Desalination a Way Out of the Water War"?