"In Kuwait, about 90% of drinking water comes from desalination, along with roughly 86% in Oman and about 70% in Saudi Arabia. The technology removes salt from seawater - most commonly by pushing it through ultrafine membranes in a process known as reverse osmosis - to produce the freshwater that sustains cities, hotels, industry and some agriculture across one of the world's driest regions."
"Everyone thinks of Saudi Arabia and their neighbors as petrostates. But I call them saltwater kingdoms. They're human-made fossil-fueled water superpowers. It's both a monumental achievement of the 20th century and a certain kind of vulnerability."
"Hundreds of desalination plants sit along the Persian Gulf coast, putting individual systems that supply water to millions within range of Iranian missile or drone strikes. Without them, major cities could not sustain their current populations."
Persian Gulf nations depend heavily on desalination plants to provide freshwater in an arid region, with Kuwait deriving 90% of drinking water from desalination, Oman 86%, and Saudi Arabia 70%. These plants use reverse osmosis technology to remove salt from seawater. Hundreds of desalination facilities line the Gulf coast, making them vulnerable targets for Iranian missiles and drones during regional conflict. Recent incidents include Bahrain accusing Iran of damaging a desalination plant and Iran reporting U.S. airstrikes damaged Iranian facilities. While global attention focuses on oil production disruptions, water infrastructure represents an equally critical vulnerability that could prevent major cities from sustaining current populations if damaged.
#water-security #desalination-infrastructure #persian-gulf-conflict #regional-vulnerability #critical-infrastructure
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