Bridging the Energy-Water Gap in Qatar

Abstract

Industrial development and demographic growth come at a cost to the climate, not least on its impact on the water resources. The high demand on water usage and the associated production of wastewater requires stringent water management regulations and equally stringent waste water treatment programmes. Companies and government bodies are striving to develop sustainable water management strategies and wastewater treatment programmers that comply with national and international laws. This is an acute issue for Qatar and the GCC region, which is not blessed with abundant water supplies, is undergoing an exponential industrialization phase and is operating a "Zero Discharge" policy. There isn't a magical solution that can be parachuted in to quash the thirst of a booming construction industry and a growing population in an arid land. A closer analysis of Qatar reveals an equally meteorically-expanding gas industry that could help alleviate the thirst and achieve water sustainability. The gas producing industry which forms the spine of the country's economy needs water as well as generating a lot of produced water. A complementary solution between the two is what is needed. The country needs to arrive at an integrative solution to these complementary concerns through collaboration, compromise and the use of novel technologies. In this mix, the environment must not be compromised and any alliance that is formed between sectors in the country must consider climate change and how best to drive the sustainability agenda. The presentation will examine these issues from the economic, social and technological view.