How Many People Depend on Desalination Plants for Water

Desalination plants are becoming an increasingly important source of freshwater around the world. With the growing demand for water and the limited availability of freshwater resources, desalination is expected to become even more prominent in the years to come. But how many people currently depend on desalination plants for water?

Current Number of People relying on Desalination Plants

According to the International Desalination Association (IDA), at least 300 million people around the world rely on desalinated water for their daily needs. This number is expected to grow as more countries and regions are turning to desalination for meeting their water needs.

Middle Eastern countries, such as Saudi Arabia, UAE, and Qatar, have been at the forefront of desalination technology for decades. The region is dominated by arid climates and limited freshwater resources, making desalination plants the primary source of freshwater for the population. In fact, almost 70% of the drinking water in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries is produced through desalination.

Other countries that currently depend on desalination plants for water include Spain, Australia, Israel, and China, among others. In these countries, desalination has become a critical solution to meet their growing water needs.

The Future of Desalination Plants Around the World

As the demand for water continues to increase around the world, more countries and regions are expected to turn to desalination plants to meet their needs. The IDA has projected that the global desalination capacity will grow to 200 million cubic meters per day by 2025, up from the current capacity of 100 million cubic meters per day.

The Middle East is expected to continue leading the way in desalination technology, with several new projects in the pipeline. For example, the Saudi government has launched a $530 million desalination project in the Red Sea to provide drinking water to 1 million people. Additionally, the UAE has committed to investing $163 billion in water infrastructure over the next few decades, which includes desalination projects.

Other regions, such as Africa and Latin America, are also exploring desalination as a possible solution to their water scarcity problems. For example, countries like Chile and Peru are facing severe droughts due to climate change and are looking to desalination as a way to mitigate the impact of water scarcity.

Conclusion

In conclusion, desalination plants are becoming an increasingly important source of water across the globe. With at least 300 million people relying on desalination for their daily needs, it is clear that this technology has become a critical solution in meeting the growing demand for water. As more countries and regions embrace desalination, it is expected that the number of people dependent on it will continue to rise in the future.