Case Study - The Right to Water in Qatar: Balancing Groundwater Conservation, Wastewater Treatment, and Desalination
Case Study - The Right to Water in Qatar: Balancing Groundwater Conservation, Wastewater Treatment, and Desalination
Introduction
Like its peers in the GCC, Qatar utilizes its plentiful hydrocarbon resources to create an artificial abundance of water through desalination, overcoming the extreme scarcity of natural freshwater resources in the country. Thus, the government has provided universal access to water for the country's population, ensuring the right to water for citizens and residents, whether in urban or rural communities. However, due to the decades-long over-abstraction of groundwater, the country’s only natural source of freshwater, Qatar’s aquifers have been severely depleted. This situation threatens Qatar’s future generations’ right to access freshwater, especially in emergencies where the country’s desalination facilities are rendered inoperable due to natural or political events. Such ‘nightmare scenarios’ have received increased attention recently due to regional instability (Mills, 2025). Qatar was also the target of two attacks by Iran and Israel in 2025, which raised concerns about the water sector’s vulnerabilities and the importance of safeguarding natural freshwater as an emergency reserve (Al-Jazeera, 2025a; Al-Jazeera, 202.
Acknowledging this danger, Qatar's government responded in several ways, including short-term measures like the construction of large reservoirs for use during emergencies or long-term measures like reforming the agricultural sector and investing in improved wastewater treatment as an alternative source of water. Indeed, one of the most notable measures taken by Qatar since the early 2000s is the ramping up of treated sewage effluent (TSE) production, which has grown to become another major source of water for the country. Some of the current uses for TSE in Qatar include artificial aquifer recharge (AAR), district cooling, irrigating urban green spaces, and limited agricultural applications. This has alleviated pressure on the country’s groundwater aquifers.
Nonetheless, a lot more remains to be done to safeguard the right of Qatar’s future generations to access freshwater. The key challenges that remain are:
| ● | The massive groundwater deficit: The annual abstraction rate of groundwater in Qatar remains far above the annual natural recharge rate of ~54 million cubic meters (MCM). |
| ● | Vulnerabilities in the desalination sector: The desalination facilities in the country are vulnerable to supply chain disruptions, as key equipment, parts, and materials used in them are imported. |
| ● | Competence gaps: Public and private institutions in Qatar continue to struggle with awareness and understanding of the country’s water issues, which inhibits progress. |
| ● | Data collection and reporting challenges: While data reporting in Qatar’s water sector is better than many of its peers in the Arab region, there are persistent data transparency gaps that inhibit research and development (R&D) efforts. |
Despite these challenges, experts often marvel at Qatar’s ability to overcome its hyper-arid environment to provide water for its population. The passage of a new water law on October 19, 2025, signals that policymakers are serious about continuing to improve the water sector and resolving persistent challenges (particularly illegal well digging and unlicensed withdrawals). However, the country’s water challenges have more to do with agricultural policy than water policy, as farms are the primary consumers of groundwater. Thus, Qatar can ensure that its future generations have a natural reserve of fresh groundwater by reforming its agricultural policies, improving competence and awareness, and enhancing data collection and reporting.
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