Urban Water Security and Demand Management in Kuwait City delivers a concise yet authoritative assessment of one of the world’s most water-stressed urban environments. The report examines how Kuwait City—facing hyper-arid conditions, soaring demand, and total dependence on desalination—is advancing toward sustainable, efficient, and resilient water systems aligned with Kuwait Vision 2035 and the National Adaptation Plan 2019–2030.

Key Insights

Understand Kuwait’s Water Supply Realities

Complete reliance on non-conventional sources defines Kuwait’s supply: 49% desalination, 29% wastewater reclamation, and 22% brackish groundwater. Per-capita use reached 447 L/day in 2023, with 95% of production costs covered by government subsidies.

Explore the Regulatory and Technological Shift

Deployment of 200,000 smart meters, advanced leak-detection programs, and gradual block-tariff reforms are designed to reduce Non-Revenue Water (NRW ≈ 20%) and improve accountability across the network.

Examine Infrastructure Transformation

Major expansions include the Al-Khiran Independent Water and Power Project (33 MIGD), the Sulaibiya Wastewater Treatment Plant (600,000 m³/day—the largest membrane-based facility worldwide), and enhanced stormwater storage capacity reaching 680,000 m³/day under the Ministry of Public Works.

Assess Demand-Side and Behavioral Strategies

Digital billing feedback, district benchmarking, and public awareness campaigns such as Tarsheed encourage conservation without triggering social backlash to tariff reform, embedding behavioral efficiency within the population.

Discover Cultural and Policy Innovations

Integration of nudge principles into communication campaigns leverages Kuwait’s 99% internet penetration and 97% digitalized services to build a culture of efficiency, transparency, and collective responsibility for resource use.

Evaluate Fiscal and Environmental Implications

Desalination costs exceed USD 1.2 billion annually and could generate up to 15.5 Mt of CO₂ per year by 2050, emphasizing the urgency of renewable integration and comprehensive policy reform to ensure fiscal and environmental stability.

Gain Insight into Future Pathways

Smart-meter-driven digitalization, tariff rationalization, and achieving 100% wastewater reuse for non-potable applications stand as the cornerstones of Kuwait’s transition toward equitable, efficient, and low-carbon urban water systems.

Designed for policymakers, utilities, consultants, and investors, Urban Water Security and Demand Management in Kuwait City provides evidence-based intelligence and actionable foresight to guide sustainable water governance in one of the most climate-vulnerable regions of the world.