Water Conservation in Haemodialysis - Lessons from North Africa | Kidney Care Susnet Event

Haemodialysis is one of the most water-intensive treatments in modern healthcare — but how can we make it more sustainable in regions already facing water stress? 

September's Kidney Care Susnet event explored lessons from North Africa, where dialysis providers confront daily challenges of water scarcity. From the realities of service disruption in Tunisia to innovative strategies for reusing reverse osmosis reject water and spent dialysate in Morocco, speakers shared practical insights into building climate-resilient kidney care through smarter water management. 

Prof. Mohamed Ben Hmida 
Professor of Nephrology at the Department of Nephrology, Hedi Chaker University Hospital, Sfax, Tunisia, and Faculty of Medicine, University of Sfax. His research and practice focus on the clinical, logistical, and environmental challenges of dialysis in water-stressed regions. He has worked extensively on implementing sustainable “green dialysis” strategies, including reverse osmosis upgrades, water reuse, and circular water management, emphasizing resilience and stewardship in arid and semi-arid areas. 
- The reality of water shortages affecting dialysis provision today 
- Practicalities of implementing collection of RO reject water in HD units (and insights into scaling up) 

Dr. Faissal Tarrass 
MD, PhD Nephrologist and Director of the Center of Haemodialysis 2 Mars in Casablanca, Morocco. Trained in Casablanca and Grenoble, he has received multiple honors including the 2025 ERA Award for Excellence in Sustainable Nephrology. His research focuses on climate-resilient dialysis solutions and circular economy applications in nephrology, with contributions to international conferences, peer-reviewed journals, and the KDIGO Controversies Conference on Green Dialysis. 
- Potential and challenges of reuse of RO reject water in agriculture 
- Opportunities and challenges for reuse of spent dialysate 

Session Summary 

This session explored innovative approaches to dialysis wastewater management through circular economy principles. Speakers shared how reverse osmosis reject water reuse and spent dialysate recycling can: 
- Achieve 30–50% carbon emission reductions 
- Conserve scarce water resources 
- Maintain patient safety and clinical efficacy 
Watch to hear real-world experiences from North Africa and discuss how nephrology can build climate-resilient healthcare systems.