Water Resources in Arid Regions: Challenges, Vulnerability, And Sustainable Management Strategies in The Mutla’a-Jahra Coastal Area, Kuwait | ||||
| Egyptian Journal of Geology | ||||
| Volume 69, Issue 1, 2025, Page 101-111 PDF (1.17 MB) | ||||
| Document Type: Original Article | ||||
| DOI: 10.21608/egjg.2025.370588.1106 | ||||
 View on SCiNiTO | ||||
| Authors | ||||
esra saad   1; Mohamed I. El Anbaawy2; Mohamed Saleh Hassan Hammed 3; Faisal A. N. AlSharifi4; Ahmed Abdelhalim 5
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| 1jaber 6 | ||||
| 2Geology Department, Faculty of Science, Cairo University. | ||||
| 3geology department, faculty of science, Cairo university-Egypt | ||||
| 4Environmental Health Department, College of Health Science, PAAET, Kuwait | ||||
| 5Geology department, faculty of science, Cairo university | ||||
| Abstract | ||||
| Water resource sustainability poses challenges in arid regions due to limited freshwater availability, climate variability, and growing demand. Kuwait, as a predominantly arid country, faces acute water management challenges driven by heavy reliance on desalination, rapid urbanization, and groundwater depletion. The Mutla’a-Jahra coastal area is particularly vulnerable to these pressures, emphasizing the need for comprehensive water resource assessments. Despite previous research on groundwater and desalination, there is a gap in integrating hydrological, environmental, and sustainability-focused analyses to address these challenges holistically. This study aims to bridge this gap by evaluating key challenges affecting water resource sustainability in the Mutla’a-Jahra coastal area. Using a multidisciplinary approach, the research investigates the impacts of climate change, groundwater depletion, and desalination dependency. The strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT) framework, and the water evaluation and planning (WEAP) model were employed to assess water supply and demand dynamics. Findings reveal that desalination operations, primarily at the Doha East and West plants, were found to be energy-intensive, with multistage flash (MSF) systems emitting twice the carbon footprint of reverse osmosis (RO) systems while consuming more energy and chemical resources. However, treated wastewater from the Sulaibiya and Kabd plants meets regulatory standards, making it a viable alternative for agricultural irrigation and reducing dependency on desalinated water. To address these challenges, the study proposes integrating renewable energy, adopting energy-efficient technologies, and implementing sustainable water practices. These strategies align with Kuwait’s Vision 2035, providing actionable pathways to ensure water sustainability in arid regions. | ||||
| Keywords | ||||
| Keywords: Water Resource Management; Climate Change Impact; Groundwater Depletion; Desalination Sustainability | ||||
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