Critical desalinated water supplies vulnerable
Water could become a major factor in the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran, with around 90% of Gulf countries’ drinking water supplies dependent on desalination plants – and over 90% of that from just 56 plants
IRAN
MAJOR DESALINATION PLANTS
Seven of 10 world’s largest are in Gulf Total around 5,000 in Middle East, over 400 in Gulf
Average daily capacity
100,000m3
MOST WATER-STRESSED
Kuwait
Cyprus
Oman
Qatar
Bahrain
Lebanon
UAE
Saudi
Israel
Egypt
Libya
Yemen
Botswana
Iran
Jordan
Ratio of total water withdrawals to renewable water supplies
Iran is less dependent on desalination with dams and wells, but mismanagement and unprecedented drought leaves over 80% of population facing extreme water stress
KUWAIT
IRAQ
UAE
OMAN
SAUDI ARABIA
Rabigh (Red Sea coast)
QATAR
BAHRAIN
Jubail 1 & 3
Ras Al Khair
Ras Laffan
Qeshm
Ras Abu Jarjur
Doha
60 miles
100km
WATER CONSUMPTION (billion m3)
Desalinated
Groundwater
Rainfall/waste water
Saudi Arabia
UAE
Oman
Kuwait
Israel
Qatar
Bahrain
5.0
5.0
5.0
5.0
5.0
5.0
5.0
4.98
4.94
4.85
4.81
4.69
4.66
4.65
4.62
Az Zour
Fujairah
Umm Al Quwain
Jebel Ali
Sohar
Al Taweelah
Ghubrah
Barka
Shuweihat
Total
17.3
4.8
2.3
2.2
1.7
1.1
0.5
70%
42%
80%
86%
90%
99%
90%
Drinking water from desalination
Sources: Bloomberg, Atlantic Council, Aquatech, World Resources Institute
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