Because of the scarcity of both rain water and fresh groundwater, most of the water demand is met by desalinated sea water. Groundwater, while largely brackish, is nevertheless an important component of Kuwait’s water resources. It is frequently used for irrigation on private farms, landscaping, post-treatment of distilled water, watering livestock and construction. Treated wastewater is important in maintaining and increasing water resources in Kuwait, as well as improving the quality of the environment. This is an enormous and increasing fresh-water source that can be used for irrigating certain crops, landscaping, recreational parks and industrial uses.
Also, this water can be considered an important source of artificial groundwater recharge.
Chronology of Water Development
In the past, Kuwait’s freshwater supply came from a scant number of water wells. Additionally, water was transported from Shatt Al-Arab by dhows. In 1905, the first large capacity, fresh-water well was discovered in the Hawalli area. Water continued to be transported by converted water-carrying dhows for some time. In 1939, a company was established that ran a fleet of such water carriers from Shatt Al-Arab. By 1946, the company had 45 dhows for the continuous transport of 8,000 imperial gallons per day (IGD). Soon thereafter, desalination plants were erected as follows:
1. In 1951, K.O.C. ( Kuwait Oil Company ) erected a small 80,000 IGD seawater desalination plant at Mina Al-Ahmadi and piped some of the water to Kuwait City.
2. In 1953, the first desalination plant at Ash-Shuwaikh was commissioned. The total capacity of the plant increased to 28 million imperial gallons per day(MIGD) in 1988.
3. In 1965, Ash-Shuaibah North plant began production of fresh water, with a total of 14 MIGD, which was reduced to nine MIGD in 1988.
4. In 1971, Ash-Shuaibah South plant was commissioned, and the total capacity of this plant has increased from five MIGD to 30 MIGD.
5. In 1978, Ad-Dohah East Plant was commissioned. Recently, the total capacity of the plant reached 12 MIGD.
6. In 1983, Ad-Dohah West Plant was commissioned with a total capacity of 96 MIGD.
7. In 1988, Az-Zor South plant was commissioned with a total capacity of 30 MIGD, which was increased to 48 MIGD in 1989.
The installed capacity of desalination plants in operation totals 234 MIGD, while gross maximum consumption recorded is 184.9 MIGD in 1994.
Groundwater Systems
Fresh groundwater is known to be found in lenses of sand and gravel layers of the Dibdibah Formation; the uppermost formation of the Kuwait Group. The lenses are surrounded and underlain by brackish and saline water from the lower strata of the Kuwait Group (Lower Fars and Ghar Formations).
Groundwater aquifers are found within the sedimentary rocks of the Kuwait Group. They are also found in the Dammam Formation of the Hasa Group, which is the main productive source of brackish water in Kuwait. The Kuwait Group is completely dry in the extreme southwest, but is almost completely saturated along the coast of the Arabian Gulf and to the northeast of the country. The Kuwait Group aquifer is hydraulically connected with the underlying Dammam Formation.
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