How reliant are Gulf Arab states on desalination plants now facing Iranian threat?

Iran threat puts vital desalination plants in spotlight

The Iranian military has warned it would launch attacks on desalination plants and other infrastructure in the region if the US follows through on a threat to target its fuel and energy infrastructure over the closure of the Strait of Hormuz.

Below are some details about how reliant Gulf Arab states are on desalination for their basic water needs:

In the United Arab Emirates, desalinated water accounts for more than 80 percent of drinking water.

Bahrain became fully reliant on desalinated water in 2016, with 100 percent of groundwater reserved for contingency plans, authorities say.

Qatar is 100 percent dependent on desalinated water.

In Saudi Arabia, a much larger nation with a greater reserve of natural groundwater, about 50 percent of the water supply came from desalinated water as of 2023, according to the General Authority for Statistics.

Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE combined produce around a third of the world's desalinated water and are home to many of its largest desalination plants.