Gov’t Study: Water Usage from Natural Sources Down Since 1967

by Zafrir Rinat (Haaretz)

Contrary to established opinion, water consumption from natural sources in Israel has actually decreased since the Six-Day War, even though the population more than doubled, a recent study found.

The state Water Authority conducted the study, among other reasons, to refute a claim made by international water experts that Israel launched the 1967 war to increase its water pumping capacity.

Posted on: 04/09/08

Emiratis Defy Forecasts on Energy, Water Consumption

by Arab News

Energy and water consumption in the UAE exceeded all forecasts, surging to the tune of 19 percent, a 15 percent increase on the 7 percent previously set by the Federal Water and Electricity Department (FWED).

A real estate market growth of 20 percent nationwide has triggered a concomitant rise in energy consumption, according to the FWED, which singles out the real estate boom fever now gripping the country as the main cause for the increased power consumption.

Posted on: 04/09/08

Jordan: Water Rationing Strategy to Combat Shortages

by IRIN

The Jordanian government has put in place an emergency strategy to deal with a severe water shortage to meet rising demand among its 5.7 million population and hundreds of thousands of refugees.

A plan will be implemented to reduce the amount of water pumped to households: Water would be rationed with each house getting it once or twice a week, for three to five hours at a time.

Posted on: 04/09/08

Saudi Plans to Import Wheat to Save Water

by Nadim Kawach (Emirates Business 24|7)

Saudi Arabia’s plan to start importing wheat and end a massive grain self-sufficiency program it launched more than two decades ago will weaken the Kingdom’s food security and aggravate a painful Arab farm gap.

The Gulf Kingdom, the world’s richest in oil resources and one of the poorest in terms of water, said [last] week it would begin importing wheat at the start of 2009 and gradually eliminate a 25-year grain program that has allowed it to be self sufficient but drained its scarce desert water wealth.

Posted on: 04/09/08

Joint Action A Wiser Course

“Middle Eastern rhetoric often portrays the issue of water as an existential, zero-sum conflict—casting either Israel as a malevolent sponge sucking up Arab water resources, or the implacably hostile Arabs as threatening Israel’s very existence by denying life-giving water.”
–BBC correspondent Martin Asser, “Obstacles to Peace: Water,” May 23, 2007

VS.

"No war over water resources will erupt in the region. Instead of having problems over water with our neighbors, we prefer developing joint projects. Contrary to what some people claim, a war over water resources in this region won’t emerge, though people may always find reasons to wage wars. We believe that the water resources in the region can be effectively used to satisfy its water needs. However, we must develop joint projects for their effective use."
–Turkish Environment and Forestry Minister Veysel Eroğlu, March 12, 2008