By Saed Al-Suraihi
NOTHING is more dangerous to the future of coming generations than depending, at least partially, on importing water from abroad. Therefore it is unacceptable that the minister of environment, agriculture and water talks about the possibility of water imports in the future.
We realize that water has become an area of conflict between countries and the best proof of this is the growing differences over water running through trans-border rivers.
Damming of water in upstream countries leads to scarcity in countries downstream, such as in the cases of the Nile and Euphrates. If rivers had been a reason for political conflicts, how about movable water in pipes or portable in tanks?
Perhaps what is more surprising is the minister's statement on the required investment of SR90 billion for desalination. Desalination is an open field and can cover more of the water demand in the future — whether desalination of seawater or groundwater is something needs to be addressed. And add to this the possibility of optimizing the use of dams in the Kingdom, which number at least 520, that prevent rainwater from going to waste. If we look at all these possibilities, it becomes apparent that the import of water becomes an unthinkable option.
Water import is the weakest of all safe and sustainable options to cut down the demand.
Water import also leads to the continuation of condoning what has happened to groundwater from wastage by large agricultural companies that moved from one area to another. The more depleted on region becomes, the better attractive becomes another.
