RIYADH, 7 March 2004 — Saudi Arabia is running out of water.

According to Deputy Minister for Water and Electricity Abdullah Al-Hussayen, no one really knows how much water is left. The last study on groundwater was done some 25 years ago and test wells show there are marked declines in water level.

“We have to instigate programs,” Al-Hussayen told Arab News, “and we have hired hydrological consultants to study the two major aquifers in the Kingdom. Within two years, we shall be in a better position to assess.”

Agricultural projects, many of which were designed to encourage Bedouin settlement, have increased water resource exploitation. Historically, improperly drilled wells reduced their effectiveness by leaching the lands they were meant to irrigate.

In the early 1990s, large-scale agricultural projects relied mainly on such underground aquifers, which then provided more than 80 percent of the water for agricultural use. In 1987, about 90 percent of the total water demand in the Kingdom was consumed by agriculture. That figure has not changed significantly.

There were attempts to cut down on agricultural production — subsidy to wheat was drastically cut. Now production is restricted to domestic consumption. However, reduction in wheat has given rise to an increase in fodder crops, and the saving in water use has been minimal.

“There is still concern for agricultural consumption,” Al-Hussayen said. “There are two plans: the National Water Plan — to assess the reserves — and other studies. This will let us know our status.”

“We hope to have more balance between domestic and agricultural requirements,” said Al-Hussayen. “Groundwater can fulfill a lot of the domestic requirement. It is a lot cheaper (than desalinated water), and in many cases, closer to the consumption center.”

Stopping most domestic agricultural production could one day become the only option, he indicated. “Everything,” he added, “is up for investigation.”

Research into new technologies for desalination is only part of the total water package.

The research and development center at the Saline Water Conversion Corporation (SWCC) has patented a nano-filtration process. Using it, “production increased by more than 40 percent,” he said. “It is a very promising technology.”

Al-Hussayen has great faith in the effectiveness of water conservation at the grassroots level.

Using basic and inexpensive methods, he believes water consumption by households could be halved. “If we could solve our problem with wheat and fodder crops, we could cut our consumption of non-renewable water by 70 percent.”

“We should start with conservation,” he said, “because it is the most promising, with clear and sure results. We can do it now, cheaply and with little effort.”

In the UK, up to 40 percent of water waste is in leakage from transmission systems.

In Saudi Arabia, Al-Hussayen estimated loss as conservatively 20 percent. “Even that would mean that we are losing a million cubic meters a day” — the average for the rest of the world.

The minister sees leakage as one major area of conservation. “If we cut leakage to five percent — which has been done in Singapore for example — it’s like building another Jubail plant virtually free.” Currently it costs only about 10 percent of the value of the lost water to repair the transmission system. “A well worthwhile investment,” he said.

Higher charges are one way of encouraging people to conserve. More realistic charging, with or without privatization of the sector, is “a conservation necessity, and it’s also necessary to keep up with demand.” Without a regular, sufficient income for whoever produces the water “there will always be a shortage of coverage and supply.”

Al-Hussayen sees water pricing at a level near the actual cost of production as a sound conservation measure. At the moment, “if you are in the first and second tariff tier, water is probably subsidized by about 90 percent,” he said. Whether the price is at production cost or just a lower subsidy now, “that is to be decided.”

Tariffs are a major deterrent to waste and should be combined with other things to help conservation, said Al-Hussayen. “Customers will weigh the options as to whether to pay the bill or do repairs in the house or change appliances.” However, for low-income households charges would always be at a minimum for sufficient water to sustain life.

The main user of water in the average house is the lavatory, consuming between 30 and 40 percent of water used. The government is issuing “displacement bags” — plastic bladders that hold three liters of water. Placed in the cistern, they reduce each flush by the same amount.

They are also recommending the use of aerators in faucets. These can reduce flow by 50 percent.

Legislation can help too. “If we were to ban the import of vertically loaded washing machines and allow only horizontal loaders, this would use 40 percent less water, 40 percent less power and 40 percent less detergent.” It would also reduce wastewater by 40 percent and save on treatment costs.

“There are so many ways we can reduce with simple existing technology,” he said. “Let us start with what we have, which achieves simple and clear results and does not require much money.”

Saudi Arabia is a young society — 60 percent are less than 18 years old — and Al-Hussayen felt schools were a vital part of a conservation awareness program.

“We should be experts in water conservation. If anybody in the world should be expert at conserving water, it should be the Saudis,” he said.