Saudi Arabia It is known for being one of the countries with the greatest dependence on its underground water resources, a resource that is rapidly being depleted. In this vast country of more than two million square kilometers, where more than 30 million people live, much of its territory is desert and arid. This has caused the Water management be a crucial issue for their long-term survival.
Aquifers The country's water reserves, which have been used intensively for decades, could lead to a severe drought in the coming years. According to a former Saudi agriculture minister, unsustainable agricultural practices are depleting these reserves, posing a significant risk to the future of water supplies across the country.
An early warning
In recent years, the Saudi deputy minister of agriculture issued a warning about the catastrophe that could be coming if Saudi Arabia does not change its approach to water use. In the words of this expert: “Saudi Arabia is at risk of catastrophe if agricultural practices do not change. It is imperative to preserve groundwater.” This call for attention has led to multiple debates on the water resources management in the country.
One of the main reasons for the exhaustion of the underground reserves It is the nature of agricultural development in Saudi Arabia, which is not adapted to its climate or water availability. This country, with less than 60 mm of rain per year, has freshwater resources incredibly limited and mostly non-renewable.
Agriculture and the waste of water resources
The cultivation of wheat, olive trees and date palms has been encouraged by the Saudi government since the 1980s, leading to widespread use of untenable of water resources. These types of crops require large amounts of groundwater, which has accelerated the depletion of the country's aquifers. Although the Government banned wheat cultivation commercial due to the depletion of water reserves, the country continues to use these lands to produce livestock fodder, which continues to contribute to the problem of water waste.
An important factor is that the Most of the groundwater in the country It is used for agriculture, representing around 88%. of water consumed in Saudi Arabia. Inefficient irrigation methods, such as flood irrigation, are still used. Experts stress that irrigation should be drip, a system that could significantly reduce water consumption.
One of the biggest decisions that contributed to this crisis was the introduction of mass wheat cultivation in the year 1983. Although an increase in food production was achieved at that time, this policy did not take into account the long-term cost in terms of depletion of aquifersToday, as water reserves are rapidly depleting, there are tracts of land devoted to forage crops that would be much more useful for growing food for the human population.
A critical situation: Water stress
In terms of water consumption, Saudi Arabia is facing a situation of water stress. With less than 500 cubic meters of renewable water available per person per year, the population of the Kingdom consumes an average of 5.100 litres of water per person per day. This high level of consumption far exceeds the average for countries in the European Union.
Saudi Arabia is one of the countries that consumes a 40% of its natural water resources each year, and some regions are completely dependent on groundwater, meaning they are completely depleting available water reserves. Experts estimate that the level of water scarcity will increasingly affect people's daily lives unless significant changes are implemented in the management of this vital resource.
The role of desalination and water recycling
Given the situation of escasez of water, the desalination has emerged as a key solution in Saudi Arabia. The country has more than 30 desalination plants along its coastline, allowing most of its major cities, including Riyadh and Jeddah, to obtain drinking water from seawater. This has made Saudi Arabia the world's leading producer of desalinated water.
However, although desalination has provided a temporary solution, it also entails high costs, both economic and social. environmentalThe process requires immense amounts of energy and generates waste that affects marine ecosystems, especially in the Persian GulfFurthermore, it does not solve the problem of high water demand in the country.
On the other hand, Saudi Arabia has begun to implement programs water recyclingIn recent years, the volume of treated and reused wastewater has increased, with the goal of replacing the use of potable water in agriculture and other industrial sectors. Although these efforts are a step in the right direction, recycling only accounts for a small part of the country's total water consumption.
Social and economic problems linked to water
The water crisis has also had significant social and economic impacts in Saudi Arabia. At the agricultural level, water scarcity has led to a decreased productivity, which has affected food security. In addition, the country's rapid population growth, coupled with increased demand for food and agricultural products, has further exacerbated the problem.
In turn, the water price has increased significantly, impacting the low-income population that has difficulty accessing affordable drinking water. Water subsidy policies are being re-evaluated to encourage responsible water use, although much remains to be done to optimize efficiency in all sectors of the country.
El increase in migration The shift from rural to urban areas has also increased pressure on urban water resources. Saudi Arabia’s metropolitan areas are growing rapidly, which means a dramatic increase in demand for drinking water in a country where supply remains limited.
Government initiatives and the future of Saudi Arabia
The Saudi government has launched a number of initiatives to address this crisis, including the Saudi Vision 2030, an ambitious plan to diversify the economy and reduce dependence on non-renewable resources, including water. Among other things, this plan includes improving water infrastructure and increasing water recycling capacities.
Projects are also underway to build new wastewater treatment plants and optimize distribution networks to reduce losses. Additional efforts are being considered to improve rainwater harvesting and expand agricultural areas through more sustainable technologies.
In the long term, the success of these initiatives will be critical to ensuring that Saudi Arabia can continue to meet the water and food needs of its population, while mitigating the environmental and social impacts of water scarcity.
The country needs to significantly scale up its sustainability efforts, both in agriculture and water resource management, to prevent the situation from worsening. Adopting more efficient methods and advanced technologies will be crucial to ensuring a more sustainable future for the kingdom.