Sustainable Water Management: Comparative Analysis of Governance Structure and Planning in China and Singapore for Application in Yemen

One of the most serious problems Yemen is facing is water scarcity, driven by low rainfall, high agricultural water consumption, and limited reuse of treated wastewater in irrigation, resulting in a sharp decline in groundwater, the country’s primary water source. The main objective of this study is to investigate the water governance and policy gaps in Yemen using indicators derived from previous field studies that assessed the quality of treated wastewater for irrigation reuse and calculated water requirements of banana crop. This analysis, conducted using the BROOK90 hydrological model and CROPWAT software, provides observational evidence for identifying key indicators and strategies to reduce pressure on scarce water resources and mitigate groundwater depletion. The findings were subsequently compared with the water governance practices in China and Singapore, focusing on governance frameworks, institutional arrangements, environmental and social impact dimensions, and policy integration rather than direct technological replication, acknowledging the substantial economic differences between the countries. The findings show that reusing wastewater, together with supplying crops with the optimal amount of irrigation, can significantly mitigate groundwater depletion and preserve limited water supplies. However, to achieve these outcomes, the suggested policies and programs must be effectively implemented, monitoring must be reinforced, and the local communities must actively participate in decision-making and planning processes.