Water conservation in arid and semi-arid regions

Abstract

In the last decade, due to rapid development and settlement and also due to improved standard of living and diversification of economic activity in agricultural and industrial sectors, the per capita water consumption in the Arabian Gulf Countries has increased dramatically. The per capita water consumption in the urban areas has increased from 165 liters per capita per day (l/c/d) in 1965 to more than 300 l/c/d in 1985. To meet the higher rate of consumption, various viable water alternatives such as desalination, reclamation of treated wastewater, exploitation of groundwater resources and proper management of surface water supplies are being sought in these countries. It has been estimated that the cost of production per cubic meter of desalinated water in this region is in the range of Saudi Riyals (SR) 4–11. Considering the high cost and also taking into account the depletion of groundwater resources through “mining” practices, it has become necessary to improve the utilization and management of water resources through conservation. This paper discusses the physical, economic, and technical means of water conservation and their effectiveness under the socia—cultural conditions of the Arabian Gulf Countries. The paper discusses the physical method of water conservation which includes internal plumbing changes in the residences, use of meters, timers, and moisture sensing devices for irrigating lawns and recreational parks and landscape developments. Various pricing policies such as incremental block rate, uniform rate, and flat rate with surcharge are also discussed and their effectiveness in water conservation are evaluated. The effectiveness of the educational programs and the communication media such as television and radio are evaluated. A systematic plan is presented to make the public aware of the cost of developing water facilities and impacts on the society and other development schemes due to depletion of these resources.