Water Security andDesalination in the GCC

Countries

Dr. Muhammad F. Al Rashed

Executive Director

Water Research Center

Contents

• Sources of Water At the GCC,• Water Security,• Water Security of the GCC,• Factors of GCC Water Security,• Challenges against Water Security,• Current Levels of Water Security at the GCC,• Water Desalination And Water Security,• Security of Desalinated Water• Agriculture and Water Security,• R&D and Water Security,• Water Security & Food Security,• Water Security & Energy Security,• Success Stories on WS,• Road Map for GCC Water Security.

Sources of Water At the GCC

• Water resources in the GCC are limited to threemain sources:

– Desalinated water: the most strategicsource of water,

– Groundwater: the main natural source ofwater,

– Treated wastewater: the most potential andfuture source of water.

• Other sources: Rain water and Aflaj system.

Water Security

• Definition: The ability of the country to insureclean and sustainable water supply forconsumers.

• More specifically: Insure necessary waterquantities in adequate quality to sustainpublic health and clean environment for aproductive society, with low levels of hazardson people, environment and economy.

Water Security of the GCC

• Definition: “Assurance of sustainable production andtransportation of potable water for consumers onadequate quality and quantity, and maintain a safeand sustainable strategic reserve of potable water”.

• Characteristics:

– Water Infrastructure; production, transportation,strategic storage, monitoring, conserving,transporting, treating & reusing.

– National Experts; capable of managing, protectingand development of this water infrastructuretowards its sustainability.

Challenges against Water Security

• Social Challenges:

– Resistance to apply some water security policies asit require leaving irresponsible high waterconsumption habits,

– Inserting virtual water concept, as part of watersecurity policies, will be faced strongly by thefarmers lobby.

• Natural Challenges:

– Water Scarcity,

– Geographic Factors,

Challenges against Water Security

• Geo-politic Challenges:– Location,

– Political Environment,

– Shared Water Resources.

• Management Challenges:

– Strategic Reserve of Water,

– Evaluation of Agriculture,

– Demand Management,

– IWRM,

– Regional Collaboration.

Current Levels of WaterSecurity at the GCC

• Variation in water security levels due to differentfactors; desalination plants’ location, natural waterresources, strategic reserve, water resourcesmanagement,

• Desalinated Water: Saudi Arabia, Oman, and UAE,

• Natural Water Resources: Oman and Saudi Arabia,

• Strategic Reserve of Potable Water: Kuwait, Oman andUAE

• Water Resources Management: Oman, Saudi Arabia,and Bahrain

Water Desalination andWater Security

• Desalinated water is the main source forpotable water in the GCC and should in thecore of any water security policy,

• Desalinated water is the origin of the potentialand future source of water; wastewater,

• Securing desalinated water will secure themost vital portion of water security,

Security of Desalinated Water

• Supporting and implementing desalination &renewable energy R&D,

• Monitoring and protecting intake points ofdesalination plants from current and potentialsources of pollution,

• Deep intake design of desalination plants toreduce risk of pollution,

• Economic-environmental production of water;from oil to gas, renewable energy, ZLDdesalination,

• Developing national manpower management &technical skills (short-term & long-term),

Security of Desalinated Water

• Private sector-Public sector Partnership,

• Implementation of the GCC Water LinkageProject,

• Implementation of Integrated WaterResources Management,

• Activate the role of ROPME Sea Area toenhance and protect the Arabian Gulfenvironment.

Agriculture and Water Security

• Agriculture is the most consumer ofwater in the GCC (40%-80%); mostlyfrom groundwater,

• In Kuwait, agriculture needs of watercovered from two main sources advancedtreated wastewater and groundwater,

• Water security requires:– High tech. efficient irrigation systems,

– Economic selection of crops,

R&D and Water Security

• Harsh climate and water scarcity of GCCnecessitate compatible R&D role andapplications towards the following:

– Innovative desalination/treatmenttechniques,

– Innovative renewable energy systems,

– Efficient management of water resources.

Water Security & Food Security

• From where we start?

– Food security to meet the minimumhealthy food need,

– Can be met from local, regional,international sources depending onavailability of agriculture infrastructure;water, soil and climate,

– Virtual Water should be part of watersecurity equation.

Water Security & Energy Security

• Energy security is having a sustainablesource of energy for strategic needs of thecountry; water, electricity, health &sanitation.

• Water and electricity production consumeshuge quantities of fossil fuel/gas (mainsources of income to GCC),

• Renewable energies is the key factor forboth energy security and water security forthe GCC.

Success Stories onWater Security

• USA:– Long-term vision for water security by

investing billions of dollars in the united waterinfrastructure believing that water would eitherunify the states or divide them,

– The cost of USA dams since 1920 is 200 billion$, however, the USA gained 700 billion $ fromthese dams,

– USA and due to water security plans appliedraised the per capita of available water storageto 6000 m3, compared to 150 m3 for the theGCC.

Success Stories onWater Security

• Japan:– Water is part of the Japanese culture with long

history of transport management and floodcontrol.

– Before the boom of the Japanese economy andjust after the 2nd world war, the loses of oneflood was equal to 10% of the GDP,

– Between 1950 and 1975 Japan invested 2trillion yen to improve the water infrastructure;the loses of floods did not exceed 1% of theGDP.

Road Map for GCCWater Security

• Unify the general outlines of the GCC water strategiesand regulations; tariff system, specifications,groundwater management, etc.,

• Implement the water link between the GCC Countries(2000 Km from Oman to Kuwait, two desalination plantson Oman’s Arab Sea producing together 500 M m3/d).

• It is not advisable to bring water from outside the GCC.

• Virtual water is vital approach (Kuwait import fromGCC only, an equivalent of 258 Mm3-around 25% ofKuwait water resources annually)

• Re-evaluate the subsidies to agriculture, whichconsumes from 40% to 80% of water resources at theGCC,

Road Map for GCCWater Security

• Economic and environmental re-evaluation of desalination and treatmenttechniques and energy sources used, on thelight of latest R&D Innovation,

• Coordinate the efforts of R&D institutionsat the GCC through collaboration,transparency and joint projects towardsmore water security for the GCC,

• Coordinate the GCC efforts inmanufacturing essential parts ofdesalination plants.

THANK YOU

for your kind attention