Desalination Plants Contribute to Gulfs Water Supply Percentage

Here is a rewritten version of the article in a neutral newsroom style:

Gulf States Produce Significant Amounts of Desalinated Water

The Gulf states, comprising Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates, account for approximately 40% of the world’s total desalinated water production. This is achieved through more than 400 desalination plants located along their coastlines.

According to recent reports, Iran has accused the US of striking a desalination plant on Qeshm Island off the coast of Iran, resulting in the disruption of water supply to 30 villages. Additionally, Bahrain reported that an Iranian drone had caused material damage to one of its desalination plants near Muharraq.

The six Gulf states are among the most water-scarce countries globally and rely heavily on desalination to meet the needs of their combined populations, which exceed 62 million people. The region’s lack of permanent rivers and limited rainfall have rendered natural freshwater resources insufficient for the rapidly growing populations.

Desalination is a critical component of the Gulf states’ water supply, with the six countries producing approximately 7.2 billion cubic meters of freshwater through desalination in 2023. This translates to an average per-capita share of natural freshwater of around 120 cubic meters per year.

The largest and most populous state, Saudi Arabia, produced 3 billion cubic meters of desalinated water in 2023, followed by the UAE with 1.9 billion cubic meters. The other Gulf states also reported significant desalination production: Kuwait with 0.8 billion cubic meters, Qatar with 0.7 billion cubic meters, Oman with 0.5 billion cubic meters, and Bahrain with 0.3 billion cubic meters.

The reliance on desalination varies across the Gulf states, with Qatar being the most dependent, accounting for 61% of its total water supply. Bahrain is also heavily reliant on desalination, with 59% of its national water supply coming from this source.

Source: Al Jazeera