From: rich@pencil.cs.missouri.edu (Rich Winkel)
Subject: GULF: WATER RESOURCES MORE PRECIOUS THAN OIL
Followup-To: alt.activism.d
Originator: rich@pencil.cs.missouri.edu
Organization: PACH
Date: Fri, 17 Apr 1992 09:23:25 GMT

/** mideast.gulf: 34.0 **/
** Topic: GULF: WATER RESOURCES MORE PRECIOUS **
** Written  8:29 am  Apr 10, 1992 by pnmideast in cdp:mideast.gulf **
From: <pnmideast>
Subject: GULF: WATER RESOURCES MORE PRECIOUS

/* Written  6:07 am  Apr 10, 1992 by newsdesk in cdp:ips.englibrary */
/* ---------- "GULF: WATER RESOURCES MORE PRECIOUS" ---------- */
Copyright Inter Press Service 1992, all rights reserved.  Permission to re-
print within 7 days of original date only with permission from 'newsdesk'.

Reference: Agriculture; Energy; Environment
Title: GULF: WATER RESOURCES MORE PRECIOUS THAN OIL IN ARID GCC STATES

dubai, apr 7 (ips/christine hauser) -- the first middle east
environment exhibition opened in the united arab emirates (uae) this
week with experts warning that the most pressing issue for the next
decade will be how to conserve the region's dwindling water
resources.

population growth, industrial expansion and the far-reaching
effects of pollution and oil spills from the gulf war will heighten
demand for already scarce water, the experts said.

water demand is growing at the rate of 10 percent a year in the
gulf cooperation council (gcc) states of saudi arabia, oman, qatar,
uae, bahrain and kuwait as a result of population and industrial
expansion.

''the gulf has one of the highest population growth rates in the
world due to the influx of expatriate workers. they are also
diversiying their economies by developing industry. they will put
added pressure on water resources,'' said economist ibrahim youssef.

environmentalists fear the oil lakes covering 60 percent of
kuwait may sink into the uae's underground water table. a reduction
in rainfall in the last few years and high evaporation rates
have exacerbated the problem, environmentalists say.

''the tigris and euphrates rivers provide some relief in the
upper gulf but during the past decade inflow from these rivers has
drastically been reduced because of massive irrigation projects in
turkey, iraq and syria,'' said nasser al saleh, manager of the
dammam-based saudi fisheries co.

gcc officials are meeting in october to discuss ways to ensure
water supplies, uae electricity and water minister humaid al owais
told the 'wam' official news agency.

the oil-rich states are particularly vulnerable to spills because
of their heavy reliance on water from the persian gulf for drinking.
about 70 percent of their demand is filled by the region's more than
100 desalination plants which are costly to build and maintain.

interest in the environment has sharpened in the gulf after a
health alarm was sounded when oil fires raged in kuwait for eight
months. reports of the billions of fish and birds dying also
added to the concern.

but the clean water issue is by no means a new thing on the
states' agendas. water became a major bargaining point during the
middle east peace talks late last year.

analysts say that in the absence of a peace agreement, countries
controlling the waters of the jordan, tigris and euphrates rivers
may remain in a state of permanent tension as their populations grow
and water demand increases.  (more/ips)



gulf: water (2)

a united nations survey has concluded that without international
agreements on water sharing, nations which do not think they are
receiving their fair share could go to war.

''the currency in 20 years is not going to be oil or gold, it's
going to be water,'' said maneka gandhi, india's former environment
minister, at the opening of the exhibit monday.

''already people are fighting over it or stealing it in our
country,'' gandhi said. ''each state says they will not share their
supplies with neighbouring states. politicians are resigning over
inadequate supplies.''

the gulf oil spill has precipitated an already serious water
shortage problem in india.

''tankers cleaning out their bilges have already polluted the bay
and bengal,'' said gandhi. ''with the gulf oil spill, we are
surrounded on both sides with polluted water. seventy percent of
available water in india is polluted.''

the exhibit, which ends friday, has drawn 100 participating
countries. some are showing high-technology products to wealthy gulf
states which are set to spend billions of dollars on water projects
in the next five years.

the uae is spending 137 million dollars on a new desalination
plant and 900 million dollars on other water and electricity
projects. bahrain has earmarked 196 million dollars on new
desalination and utilities projects.

the uae is also considering plans to import water by pipeline
from turkey to oman to supplement its annual desalinated water
production of 85 billion gallons in its 17 plants.

many of the participants in the exhibition are western
environmental industries or oil companies, selling products and
technology or attending as part of a public relations exercise.

some are approaching environmental problems with ''academic
rhetoric'', said a gulf-based environmentalist.

foreign companies, selling everything from oil booms to water
filters at the exhibition, are seeking a share in the 1.2 billion
dollar gulf clean-up effort. (end/ips/ch/lm/92)



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