Researchers at the Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research (KISR) have won the gold medal and International Jury Prize at the 12th International Invention Exhibition in Guangzhou, China, for a patented wetland system that treats wastewater generated by reverse osmosis sewage treatment and enables the water to be reused.
The innovation, titled “Wetland System for Treating Wastewater Resulting from Reverse Osmosis Sewage Treatment,” was developed by Dr Mishari Khaja and Dr Mohammed Al-Muntasir Ahmed at KISR’s Water Research Center, with funding from the Kuwait Foundation for the Advancement of Sciences. It was granted a US patent in August 2025.
Cutting pollutants while creating habitat
KISR said the system uses wetland-based treatment to improve water quality from reverse osmosis processes, reducing reliance on heavy metals, lowering organic pollutants and nutrients, and minimizing pathogens and microplastics, while also promoting biodiversity and cutting carbon emissions. The institute highlighted low construction, operation and maintenance costs alongside a simple design, and said the treated water can be reused across various applications while the wetlands themselves create new habitat for wildlife.
The technology was piloted between 2021 and 2023 at KISR’s Sulaibiya Research Station. The recognition comes as Kuwait, one of the most water-stressed countries in the Gulf, leans further on wastewater reuse to ease pressure on its energy-intensive desalination sector, which supplies the bulk of the country’s drinking water. It follows a string of major desalination investments in Kuwait this year, including VA Tech Wabag and HEISCO’s $372 million contract for the Doha SWRO desalination plant.
Source: Kuwait Times