In search of water: How Azerbaijan is overcoming its water crisis
By Sabina Alizade
Azerbaijan is facing significant shortages of water, and the distribution of freshwater reserves across the country is uneven. Currently, the country’s surface water reserves stand at 27 cubic kilometres, but in dry years, these reserves can decrease to 20-21 cubic kilometres. Sources of these surface water reserves include rivers, lakes, reservoirs, and glaciers. Approximately 70-72% of the country's freshwater originates outside its borders.
One of the measures taken worldwide to address the problem of drinking water scarcity is the desalination of seawater. Speaking at a ceremony to launch the reconstruction of the Shirvan irrigation canal in Hajigabul District on 16 April, President Ilham Aliyev stated that desalination of water from the Caspian Sea could increase drinking water supplies. He noted that once implemented, this project would allow the use of Caspian Sea water for both irrigation and drinking purposes. The president emphasized that Azerbaijan, with its vast Caspian basin, would benefit from this opportunity, highlighting that several countries have significant experience in desalination.
Countries like Israel and Saudi Arabia have already implemented seawater desalination projects, even using the produced water as drinking water. Israel is currently a world leader in applying seawater desalination technology. Water reuse technologies provide two major benefits: they supply alternative water sources and reduce the environmental impact by lowering water intake and waste discharge. Israel uses approximately 70% of its treated water for agriculture and industry, which is the highest rate globally, with Spain in second place with a 15% rate. In Israel, the cost per cubic metre of water can range from $0.60 to $1.25, which shows its extensive experience in this field.
Saudi Arabia's King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology (KACST) has announced a joint project with IBM to build the country’s first solar-powered desalination plant. The project participants have reported that if they can significantly reduce the cost of freshwater in comparison with existing technologies, large-scale desalination could become the norm outside Saudi Arabia. The plant will be located near the city of Khafji (with a population of 65,000) and will produce 30,000 cubic metres of water per day, sufficient to supply 100,000 people. IBM's research divisions have developed special photovoltaic elements and membranes for filtering seawater for this project.
The plant in Khafji will produce approximately 30 times less water than the small Yauza River by average standards. Additionally, in 2008, all the world’s desalination plants (13,000 in number and worth tens, even hundreds of billions of dollars) produced 45 million m³ per day — 15 times less than the Volga River alone. However, the issue is not about the number of rivers: more people live in the Volga basin than in Saudi Arabia. The matter concerns money and the use of non-renewable energy sources.
This practice is also being utilized in Azerbaijan, where the Caspian Sea Water Desalination Complex in Salyan District turns saltwater into freshwater. Established in the village of Xidirli in 2012, this high-tech facility equipped with reverse osmosis membranes is designed to purify seawater up to drinking water standards, aiming to provide an effective solution to potential future water shortages. Given that approximately 70% of Azerbaijan's water sources form outside its borders, desalinating Caspian water for irrigation and subsequently for drinking purposes could potentially resolve Azerbaijan's water supply issues.
This is a very serious and critical project. On the one hand, it is an essential step for the development of agriculture; on the other, it is vital for meeting the demand for drinking water and creating new opportunities for the development of the agricultural sector. Using water from the Caspian for drinking could also facilitate the export of freshwater.
The implementation of this project, which is considered as an alternative water source, could reduce the volume of water transported from distant regions to Baku, thereby improving water provision in those areas. In the Absheron peninsula, all gardens and parks are irrigated with drinking water, which not only places Baku residents in a difficult situation but also creates additional water scarcity issues in the regions from where the water is sourced. Thus, the importance of this project is immense.
It would be feasible to supply the Absheron peninsula with drinking water obtained from the Caspian Sea. As Azerbaijan implements this new project related to the desalination of Caspian water, it is drawing on global experience and has established partnerships with renowned international companies. A memorandum of agreement has been signed between the Azerbaijan Investment Company (AIC) and Israel's IDE Technologies, specializing in water and waste treatment. This agreement outlines cooperation for creating a desalination plant in Azerbaijan. Global warming, inefficient use of water resources, and the increasing drought worldwide have driven the active use of desalination plants for drinking water production. IDE Technologies, operating in 40 countries and with over 40 years of experience, has built and operated over 400 desalination plants, including some of the world’s largest in China, India, the USA, Australia, and Israel, covering about 70% of Israel's domestic water needs.
Additionally, Azersu JSC has signed a technical consultancy agreement with Israel's Mekorot Water Company within the framework of a seawater desalination project. Representatives of the company visited Azerbaijan last year and participated in various events. According to them, about 60% of the water supplied to consumers in Israel is obtained through the desalination of seawater. Mekorot Water Company plays a crucial role in ensuring reliable water supply in the country.
The extent to which the project will increase the country's drinking water reserves cannot be predicted at this stage, as it will depend on the volume of purified water. There is concern that this project might risk drying up the Caspian Sea. However, there is no such risk since the water drawn from the Caspian will be cleaned and returned to the sea after use. It might even be possible that the water is cleaned again and reused, which is feasible since water, being a mineral substance, can be purified indefinitely.
Dr. Janar Naurozbayeva, a senior scientist at the Kazakhstan Geography and Water Security Institute and an expert on the hydrological regime of the Caspian Sea, has stated that desalination issues are complex and should capture the attention of not just hydrologists but also ecologists and other specialists. She has noted that due to the regulation of the Caspian's main rivers (the Volga and Ural (Jayk)) and rapid climate change, the sea level is falling. This decline began in 2005 and has continued to this day, significantly reducing the sea surface area by over 26,000 km², half of which is in the northern Caspian part of Kazakhstan. The construction of additional desalination facilities will undoubtedly impact the ecological condition of the region and the overall sea level. Moreover, significant water supply activities like green hydrogen production are also planned, which will further impact the area. She emphasized that a drop below -28.0 m in the sea level would create detrimental effects on the ecosystem, leading to a reduction in feeding areas for fish stocks, consequently decreasing hunting yields and causing problems for fishing. Additionally, the reduction in the sea level will complicate economic activities in coastal and shallow water zones, demanding careful attention from entities involved in port operations and maritime transportation.
The Caspian Sea Water Desalination Complex in Azerbaijan, launched in 2013, has been a critical component in addressing the water scarcity issues in the region. By 2016, a second line was installed without additional construction work, enhancing the facility's capacity. Each line has the capability to produce 1,000 cubic metres, effectively converting nearly 2,500 cubic metres of seawater drawn daily into 2,000 cubic metres of potable water.
Significant construction and reconstruction activities at this infrastructure have included the building of a 200-metre-long breakwater to facilitate the extraction of seawater. The facility is equipped with high-tech reverse osmosis membranes and an electronic management system. Three metal water tanks, insulated with special coatings and having capacities of 500 and 200 cubic metres, have been installed, along with underground water storage tanks of 500 and 2,500 cubic metres.
It's important to note that water reserves are limited around the village of Xidirli in Salyan District and the surrounding green areas. Therefore, the water produced by this plant is currently a primary solution for the region. The water is used for irrigating 700 hectares of greenery in Salyan District, including olive plantations and nursery areas owned by the Azerbaijan Greening and Landscape Construction Open Joint Stock Company, which produces over a million planting materials annually. The pilot project, initiated in 2013, continues to be successfully implemented.
However, despite developments in national infrastructure, expanding sector-specific infrastructure remains crucial. Water loss often exceeds 40 percent, a significantly high figure. Reducing these losses could also help increase water reserves. It is essential to expand scientific research in this area to discover new domestic water sources and gradually eliminate the country's reliance on external water sources through systematic research. To enhance the efficiency of water management in agriculture, it's necessary to adapt the existing strategy to meet new challenges, taking into account factors like climate change and the use of scientific-innovative methods. The desalination facility is designed to purify up to 2,000 cubic metres of water daily, and last year alone, 600,000 cubic metres of water were processed and made available for use.
Improving the management and expansion of water infrastructure in response to these challenges is vital for ensuring sustainable water supply in Azerbaijan.
Azerbaijan is facing significant shortages of water, and the distribution of freshwater reserves across the country is uneven. Currently, the country’s surface water reserves stand at 27 cubic kilometres, but in dry years, these reserves can decrease to 20-21 cubic kilometres. Sources of these surface water reserves include rivers, lakes, reservoirs, and glaciers. Approximately 70-72% of the country's freshwater originates outside its borders.
One of the measures taken worldwide to address the problem of drinking water scarcity is the desalination of seawater. Speaking at a ceremony to launch the reconstruction of the Shirvan irrigation canal in Hajigabul District on 16 April, President Ilham Aliyev stated that desalination of water from the Caspian Sea could increase drinking water supplies. He noted that once implemented, this project would allow the use of Caspian Sea water for both irrigation and drinking purposes. The president emphasized that Azerbaijan, with its vast Caspian basin, would benefit from this opportunity, highlighting that several countries have significant experience in desalination.
Countries like Israel and Saudi Arabia have already implemented seawater desalination projects, even using the produced water as drinking water. Israel is currently a world leader in applying seawater desalination technology. Water reuse technologies provide two major benefits: they supply alternative water sources and reduce the environmental impact by lowering water intake and waste discharge. Israel uses approximately 70% of its treated water for agriculture and industry, which is the highest rate globally, with Spain in second place with a 15% rate. In Israel, the cost per cubic metre of water can range from $0.60 to $1.25, which shows its extensive experience in this field.
Saudi Arabia's King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology (KACST) has announced a joint project with IBM to build the country’s first solar-powered desalination plant. The project participants have reported that if they can significantly reduce the cost of freshwater in comparison with existing technologies, large-scale desalination could become the norm outside Saudi Arabia. The plant will be located near the city of Khafji (with a population of 65,000) and will produce 30,000 cubic metres of water per day, sufficient to supply 100,000 people. IBM's research divisions have developed special photovoltaic elements and membranes for filtering seawater for this project.
The plant in Khafji will produce approximately 30 times less water than the small Yauza River by average standards. Additionally, in 2008, all the world’s desalination plants (13,000 in number and worth tens, even hundreds of billions of dollars) produced 45 million m³ per day — 15 times less than the Volga River alone. However, the issue is not about the number of rivers: more people live in the Volga basin than in Saudi Arabia. The matter concerns money and the use of non-renewable energy sources.
This practice is also being utilized in Azerbaijan, where the Caspian Sea Water Desalination Complex in Salyan District turns saltwater into freshwater. Established in the village of Xidirli in 2012, this high-tech facility equipped with reverse osmosis membranes is designed to purify seawater up to drinking water standards, aiming to provide an effective solution to potential future water shortages. Given that approximately 70% of Azerbaijan's water sources form outside its borders, desalinating Caspian water for irrigation and subsequently for drinking purposes could potentially resolve Azerbaijan's water supply issues.
This is a very serious and critical project. On the one hand, it is an essential step for the development of agriculture; on the other, it is vital for meeting the demand for drinking water and creating new opportunities for the development of the agricultural sector. Using water from the Caspian for drinking could also facilitate the export of freshwater.
The implementation of this project, which is considered as an alternative water source, could reduce the volume of water transported from distant regions to Baku, thereby improving water provision in those areas. In the Absheron peninsula, all gardens and parks are irrigated with drinking water, which not only places Baku residents in a difficult situation but also creates additional water scarcity issues in the regions from where the water is sourced. Thus, the importance of this project is immense.
It would be feasible to supply the Absheron peninsula with drinking water obtained from the Caspian Sea. As Azerbaijan implements this new project related to the desalination of Caspian water, it is drawing on global experience and has established partnerships with renowned international companies. A memorandum of agreement has been signed between the Azerbaijan Investment Company (AIC) and Israel's IDE Technologies, specializing in water and waste treatment. This agreement outlines cooperation for creating a desalination plant in Azerbaijan. Global warming, inefficient use of water resources, and the increasing drought worldwide have driven the active use of desalination plants for drinking water production. IDE Technologies, operating in 40 countries and with over 40 years of experience, has built and operated over 400 desalination plants, including some of the world’s largest in China, India, the USA, Australia, and Israel, covering about 70% of Israel's domestic water needs.
Additionally, Azersu JSC has signed a technical consultancy agreement with Israel's Mekorot Water Company within the framework of a seawater desalination project. Representatives of the company visited Azerbaijan last year and participated in various events. According to them, about 60% of the water supplied to consumers in Israel is obtained through the desalination of seawater. Mekorot Water Company plays a crucial role in ensuring reliable water supply in the country.
The extent to which the project will increase the country's drinking water reserves cannot be predicted at this stage, as it will depend on the volume of purified water. There is concern that this project might risk drying up the Caspian Sea. However, there is no such risk since the water drawn from the Caspian will be cleaned and returned to the sea after use. It might even be possible that the water is cleaned again and reused, which is feasible since water, being a mineral substance, can be purified indefinitely.
Dr. Janar Naurozbayeva, a senior scientist at the Kazakhstan Geography and Water Security Institute and an expert on the hydrological regime of the Caspian Sea, has stated that desalination issues are complex and should capture the attention of not just hydrologists but also ecologists and other specialists. She has noted that due to the regulation of the Caspian's main rivers (the Volga and Ural (Jayk)) and rapid climate change, the sea level is falling. This decline began in 2005 and has continued to this day, significantly reducing the sea surface area by over 26,000 km², half of which is in the northern Caspian part of Kazakhstan. The construction of additional desalination facilities will undoubtedly impact the ecological condition of the region and the overall sea level. Moreover, significant water supply activities like green hydrogen production are also planned, which will further impact the area. She emphasized that a drop below -28.0 m in the sea level would create detrimental effects on the ecosystem, leading to a reduction in feeding areas for fish stocks, consequently decreasing hunting yields and causing problems for fishing. Additionally, the reduction in the sea level will complicate economic activities in coastal and shallow water zones, demanding careful attention from entities involved in port operations and maritime transportation.
The Caspian Sea Water Desalination Complex in Azerbaijan, launched in 2013, has been a critical component in addressing the water scarcity issues in the region. By 2016, a second line was installed without additional construction work, enhancing the facility's capacity. Each line has the capability to produce 1,000 cubic metres, effectively converting nearly 2,500 cubic metres of seawater drawn daily into 2,000 cubic metres of potable water.
Significant construction and reconstruction activities at this infrastructure have included the building of a 200-metre-long breakwater to facilitate the extraction of seawater. The facility is equipped with high-tech reverse osmosis membranes and an electronic management system. Three metal water tanks, insulated with special coatings and having capacities of 500 and 200 cubic metres, have been installed, along with underground water storage tanks of 500 and 2,500 cubic metres.
It's important to note that water reserves are limited around the village of Xidirli in Salyan District and the surrounding green areas. Therefore, the water produced by this plant is currently a primary solution for the region. The water is used for irrigating 700 hectares of greenery in Salyan District, including olive plantations and nursery areas owned by the Azerbaijan Greening and Landscape Construction Open Joint Stock Company, which produces over a million planting materials annually. The pilot project, initiated in 2013, continues to be successfully implemented.
However, despite developments in national infrastructure, expanding sector-specific infrastructure remains crucial. Water loss often exceeds 40 percent, a significantly high figure. Reducing these losses could also help increase water reserves. It is essential to expand scientific research in this area to discover new domestic water sources and gradually eliminate the country's reliance on external water sources through systematic research. To enhance the efficiency of water management in agriculture, it's necessary to adapt the existing strategy to meet new challenges, taking into account factors like climate change and the use of scientific-innovative methods. The desalination facility is designed to purify up to 2,000 cubic metres of water daily, and last year alone, 600,000 cubic metres of water were processed and made available for use.
Improving the management and expansion of water infrastructure in response to these challenges is vital for ensuring sustainable water supply in Azerbaijan.
Similar news
