Manama: Kuwait could face a serious water shortage crisis if new water desalination facilities are not completed on time, the electricity and water ministry has warned.
The warning was issued after national water consumption levels reached their highest levels to date, with Kuwait's consumers using 399 million gallons per day.
The figure is only one million gallons less than the country's total daily capacity, according to a report by the Kuwait Times.
Planned facilities are expected to provide an additional daily 40 million gallons, which should be sufficient to cover the projected needs for next year.
However, with the steadily rising population figures, the water levels will not be sufficient for 2012 or 2013, officials said.
The government hopes though that by that time, the major Zoor power production and water desalination facility, set to produce a daily 200 million gallons of water, will be operational.
Kuwait's first plant for desalinating sea water was established at Al Ahmadi port in 1951, with a capacity of 364 m3 a day.
