‘Save it’ plea as water usage hits record levels

Per capita consumption of drinking water in Saudi Arabia has now reached 265 liters, which is double the amount of water used by an individual in a European country, said Water and Electricity Minister Abdullah Al-Hussayen.
He said total water consumption in the Kingdom crossed eight million cubic meters for the first time.
“This is equal to nearly 800,000 10-ton water tank trucks,” he said while emphasizing the need to rationalize consumption of water.
Al-Hussayen said about 60 percent of the Kingdom’s water supply comes from desalination plants on its Red Sea and Arabian Gulf coasts while the rest comes from underground water wells.
“All regions have reported record consumption of water,” the minister said.
Jeddah’s consumption is more than 1.2 million cubic meters per day, which translates to per capita use of more than 300 liters per day.
Al-Hussayen said his ministry has launched a nationwide campaign to reduce water consumption by 30 percent through free distribution of devices that would help reduce consumption.
He also stressed the importance of preserving the country’s underground water resources.
Saudi Arabia has been producing desalinated water since 1927, with output jumping from 300,000 cubic meters per day to more than five million cubic meters.
The Kingdom is the world leader in this field, producing almost 20 percent of global production.