Even though the less contaminated areas show signs of recovery, the situation in the oil lake areas worsens each year as the contamination goes deeper into the desert soil. Water contamination is the greatest concern. This scarce resource is seriously threatened by contamination from the oil lakes. Forty percent of Kuwait's fresh water reserves are no longer of drinkable quality and there is no scientific proof that a technical solution will solve or even improve the problem in the future. Alternative renewable sources of fresh water residing in the wadi subsurface aquifers are also threatened by 120 km of oil trenches along the Saudi Border.
Brackish water seems to have escaped oil contamination for now.
However, potential leaks in oil well casings threaten this. In addition, the pumping rate of most of these aquifers is far over the replenishment rate, endangering water levels in the long-term. Priority must be given to the research and future policies of Kuwait's water supply. Water conservation programs must be vigorously enhanced. Research, focusing on the prevention of groundwater contamination and the restoration and enhancement of water security storage, must be done immediately so that quick actions may be taken.