Electro-agric, a novel environmental engineering perspective to overcome the global water crisis via marginal water reuse

Abstract

Water crises in arid and semi-arid regions, particularly in desert areas, are considered a challenge owing to the fact that no functioning solutions have been introduced throughout history to change the whole map from yellow to green. Current desert regions are still deserts from millions of years ago, and all scenarios that have been introduced to occupy desert regions accounts for 1%–2% of the total area. Middle East and North Africa (MENA) countries that are located in such arid and semi-arid zones are disadvantaged by limited water supply because of high temperature, low precipitation, and limited water resources. We have found that, there is no consortium between different fields of interest in the hopes of eventually overcoming the global water crisis. This is practically the case when it comes to using desalination and wastewater treatment technologies and their application for agriculture. Water crises should not only be solved using desalination and wastewater treatment, but other items should be also taken into consideration such as soil, plant, and organic matter use, among others. In the present perspective, we are developing novel solutions to overcome the global water crisis via nonconventional water reuse with minimum constrains to ecosystems using the principles of the Sophisticated Desert Development Project (SDDP) or “Electro-agric technology”. Electro-agric is technique that uses electrical fields throughout agricultural practices. Electro-agric technology comprises five main sections, including water, soil, organic matter, and plants, among others, that may be achieved via the establishment of a consortium between different major establishments like the Faculties of Engineering, Agriculture, and Science. Traditional approaches for cultivating land in arid and semi-arid regions are inappropriate and electro-agric technologies may be considered as the only alternative solution for regions that are located between the latitudes 35°N to 35°S in which the arid and semi-arid weather prevails and in which in seven of the world's major deserts are located. We believe that the map of MENA countries produced will transform from yellow to green, indicating reclamation of this resource; however this can only be accomplished if we comply with electro-agric technologies. Moreover, national incomes will be increased, and new communities will be stabilized.