Arabic Sustainability Dictionary

Brine

Highly concentrated salt water rejected by desalination plants, whose discharge can harm marine ecosystems.

Desalination

The removal of salts and minerals from seawater or brackish water to produce freshwater.

Groundwater

Water held underground in soil and rock formations (aquifers), which in many arid regions is non-renewable.

Integrated water resources management (IWRM)

A process that promotes the coordinated development and management of water, land and related resources to maximise welfare without compromising ecosystems.

Marine resources

Living and non-living resources of seas and oceans, such as fish stocks, seabed minerals and marine ecosystems.

Non-revenue water (NRW)

Water produced by a utility that is lost through leaks, theft or metering errors before it reaches paying customers.

Produced water

Water brought to the surface together with oil and gas during extraction, which must be treated, reinjected or disposed of.

Rainwater harvesting

The collection and storage of rainwater for later use.

Treated sewage effluent (TSE)

Municipal wastewater treated to a standard that allows it to be reused, for example for irrigation, landscaping or industrial cooling.

Wastewater treatment

Physical, chemical and biological processes that remove contaminants from used water before discharge or reuse.

Water consumption

Water withdrawn that is not returned to its source or a third party, commonly calculated as water withdrawal minus water discharge.

Water discharge

The total volume of effluent and other water leaving an organisation's boundaries to surface water, groundwater, seawater or a third party during a period.

Water efficiency

Achieving the same output or service with less water.

Water footprint

The total volume of freshwater used directly and indirectly to produce a product or service or by an organisation.

Water intensity

Water withdrawn or consumed per unit of output or economic activity.

Water recycled and reused

Water that has been used and is then treated, where needed, and used again within the organisation before discharge.

Water scarcity

A lack of sufficient available freshwater to meet demand, whether because of physical shortage or inadequate infrastructure.

Water security

Reliable access to sufficient water of acceptable quality for health, livelihoods, ecosystems and production, with acceptable water-related risks.

Water stewardship

The use of water in a way that is socially equitable, environmentally sustainable and economically beneficial, achieved through site and catchment-based actions.

Water stress

A condition in which demand for water exceeds the available renewable supply in a given area, or poor quality restricts its use.

Water withdrawal

The total volume of water drawn into an organisation from all sources, such as surface water, groundwater, seawater and third-party supply, during a period.

Water-related risk

Physical, regulatory and reputational risks to an organisation arising from water scarcity, flooding, pollution or water governance.

Watershed

An area of land that drains rainfall and streams to a common outlet, such as a river, lake or sea.

Zero liquid discharge (ZLD)

A treatment approach in which a facility recovers and reuses all its wastewater so that no liquid effluent leaves the site.