The role of energy to solve water scarcity in Qatar

Abstract

Qatar’s significant wealth in natural gas and oil brings the country to the highest income per capita worldwide. The drastic economic and social development gained by these revenues modernizes the country’s infrastructure and improve the population living standards in all aspects. Qatar gross domestic product income, in billion dollars ($B) increased from $B 115.270 in 2008–$B 202.45 in 2013. Meanwhile, Qatar faces real challenges due to very limited natural freshwater resources. Water scarcity creates water and food security problems. The viability of agriculture food productions is continually decreasing. Agriculture in Qatar depends mainly on groundwater, which is over-exploited, depleted, quality deteriorated, and becoming less suitable for agriculture, and its usage, in general, can be seized soon. Qatar’s abundant energy is used to generate desalted seawater to satisfy 99% of municipal water needs. The possibility of treating wastewater treatment to be used for agriculture purposes is discussed here, along with the interdependent relation between water, energy, and agriculture (and thus food). This paper outlines and discusses Qatar energy resources, demands, and consumption; as well as water resources, demands, consumption, and security. Detailed consumed energy in desalting seawater and treating wastewater are presented.

Keywords:

• Water resources
• Groundwater
• Wastewater
• Desalination
• Natural gas
• Agriculture