The future sustainability of water supply in Kuwait

The main natural source of water available in Kuwait is the brackish groundwater located in the Kuwait Group and the Dammam aquifers, where the salinity ranges from 4300 to 10200 mg/l and from 2500 to 10000 mg/l, respectively. Limited fresh groundwater resources in Al-Rawdhatain and Umm Al-Aish fields, which have a salinity of 359-1737 mg/l, are also available. Most of the groundwater in Kuwait is used for irrigation, domestic purposes, small-scale industries and for blending with distilled water. Because rainfall is seasonal and less than annual evaporation, the recharge of the groundwater from rainfall is negligible. The objective of this paper is to assess the different water resources in Kuwait in order to make an integrated management plan and to focus on future sustainability. Generally, in the State of Kuwait, there is increasing pressure on the natural water resources because of the exploitation of the aquifers at a rate exceeding that of both the groundwater recharge and population growth (from 1.4 million in 1980 to 2.55 million in 2003). This has lead to the observed decline in groundwater level and to the deterioration of water quality. In the early 1950s, a plan was endorsed in Kuwait to establish seawater desalination plants. By 2005, six desalination plants have been established, with a total capacity of distillation units of 1434.72 x103 m(3)/d (315.6 MIGD). However, the gross maximum consumption for the year 2003 reached a value of 1440.17 x103 m(3)/d (316.8 MIGD), which is higher than the total capacity of the available distillation units. Given the limitation of conventional water and the shortages of non-conventional water, along with the increasing population, Kuwait must consider the recycling of wastewater for irrigation, industrial or any other unrestricted non potable purpose.