Water Shortage

The UAE is a desert country, with very little yearly rainfall, and so there is a steady problem of water shortage.

The most noticeable reason for the shortage of water is the fast population growth. More people means more food and this has led to a growing demand for an increase in agricultural production, which in turn means more irrigation and therefore more water. In addition, the economy of the country has greatly expanded over the past 50 years. Industrialization has greatly increased the demand for water. The climate of the UAE makes it difficult to meet the increased demand for water. There is very little rainfall and no surface water makes the situation worse.

Desalination is perhaps the most obvious solution. It’s expensive but the UAE is a rich country. Similarly, making better use of underground water is not cheap but it would help to answer the problem. Dams to store water when it does rain have already been built in Fujairah and Ras Al Khaimah. Charging people more for water, educational programmes in schools and colleges, and national advertising campaigns could also raise public awareness of the problem.

All in all, the UAE gets most of its fresh water from desalination plants. This is the most clear short-term solution. In the long run, however, raising public awareness of the problem and encouraging people to use water more responsibly is the most important factor in solving the problem of water shortages.